The organizers of the world’s leading open-wheel racing championship have published a reshaped calendar for next season, grouping races by region to cut travel and adding a night race at the rebuilt Greywater Ring.
The season will have 22 rounds, one fewer than this year, and will start in early spring rather than late winter. Races on the same continent will now follow each other in blocks, replacing a schedule that last season saw teams cross oceans several times within a few weeks.
Less travel, fewer emissions
Organizers say the new order will reduce freight distances by around a fifth and give team staff more rest between events. Teams have complained for years about back-to-back races thousands of kilometers apart.
Our mechanics were living on airplanes. This calendar finally looks like it was drawn on a map.
Rafael Dumont, team principal of one of the midfield teams
The series has promised to cut its carbon footprint in half within the decade, and logistics account for the largest share of its emissions.
Greywater’s big night
The headline addition is a night race at the Greywater Ring, the mountain circuit that reopened last year after a full rebuild. Floodlights are being installed along the 5.1-kilometer track, which climbs through forest and includes one of the fastest corner sequences in the championship.
Racing in the mountains under lights will be something completely new for drivers and for fans.
Nina Fallon, director of the Greywater Ring
Local officials expect more than 100,000 visitors over the race weekend and say hotels in the region are already taking bookings. Extra trains will run from Riverton, and the transport ministry is studying a temporary bus service from Cedar Falls.
Sprint weekends and a longer break
The number of sprint weekends, which feature a shorter Saturday race, stays at six. The summer break will be extended to four weeks, a change requested by both teams and drivers.
Not everyone is pleased. Fans of one of the oldest circuits on the calendar have started a petition after their race was moved to a weekday-heavy format, and some teams worry the later start leaves less time for testing.
Tickets for the Greywater night race go on sale next month.
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