Teams considering GP weekend revamp

Formula 1 teams are considering ways to revamp race weekends to try and make them more attractive for fans - and have even discussed the prospect of reducing them to two-day events

During a lengthy Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) meeting in Japan last weekend, the outfits discussed ways to improve the sport in the future - and even talked about the two-day weekend format forced on them in Japan becoming the norm.

But although there was little support for knocking a day off a grand prix weekend - especially as circuits need the extra revenue that comes from three-day events - teams did feel that improvements could be made elsewhere, and especially whether the Fridays could be used better.

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner said: "I think it [two-day format] worked well in difficult conditions in Japan, but what could be looked at perhaps is to condense Friday.

"Maybe we introduce scrutineering on a Friday and look at how we run on a Friday. I still, personally, prefer qualifying on a Saturday and race on Sunday.

"But with Fridays, there is more we can do with it, for sure. To have teams at races on Wednesdays does not make any sense. So perhaps if you bring scrutineering in for Friday, or perhaps give incentives for young drivers on Friday.

"They are all things that together with the commercial rights holder and the FIA we should look at."

Sauber managing director Monisha Kaltenborn said: "The team managers had a talk about a two-day weekend and they don't see it happening.

"We don't want to increase the races to any more than 20, because it has implications on staff. We are going down [in staff numbers] and have restrictions, but we need to do something with a race weekend to make it more attractive."