Teams pondering GP format tweaks

Williams CEO Adam Parr has revealed that following Sunday's meeting of the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) in Monaco to discuss tyres, he and Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner met with Bernie Ecclestone to discuss possible changes to the F1 timetables for 2011.

"The meeting with Bernie was to talk about race weekend format, the calendar for next year and tyres," Parr told AUTOSPORT. "We are all keen to improve the weekend format and make things more engaging for fans."

There has been some concern that F1 races are rarely sell-outs these days, with even last weekend's blue-riband Monaco Grand Prix not being at full capacity.

Parr said that the discussions about tweaking the race weekends had not got as far as outlining specific changes, but was more about whether there was move room for manoeuvre.

"There are some ideas around about what we can do over race weekends to address the issues we have," said Parr. "But it is too early to talk about it in detail, because it is by no means an agreed philosophy."

They are also keen for the F1 calendar to be better arranged next year - with teams facing increased costs and logistical problems because of the way the 2010 races have been arranged.

"The costs have been driven up and up and up," said Parr. "We are going to Canada and there is no way we as teams are going to make money going to Canada, so we are effectively subsidising that race. It is a one-off flyaway to North America and back again. It is crazy stuff - and very difficult."