Todt opposes scrapping Fridays

  • Published on 06 Feb 2017 08:01
  • comments 2
  • By: Fergal Walsh

FIA president Jean Todt has responded to the suggestion of dropping Friday practice sessions from Grand Prix weekends, stating that he opposes the idea. 

This follows the outspoken views of Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul, who was reported this week to have fully backed scrapping them. He implied that he felt the sessions were obsolete, and that Formula One weekends require updates and changes. Todt however, spoke out about how he feels this will not happen.

"It is quite simple, we have not found anything that would be better than the current format," he stated to Speed Week.

He is open to considering alternatives, but only on one condition. "If we were to find something that we believe would be real progress, we would look at it very closely," he added.

Formula One's new owners, Liberty Media, have already been encouraged to improve race weekends and increase the anticipation among fans for track action, as well as the opportunities for interaction with the stars and cars. Liberty have already identified and highlighted this area for future development.

Friday practice in particular has recently been seen as mundane by the drivers themselves - Fernando Alonso being one. At the Brazilian Grand Prix he told the media that he believes spectators should be paid a fee to watch it, since the cars on display are evidently not spectacular enough.

"Fans want to see fast cars, something where you cannot close your mouth after you see the car passing," he said.

Alonso even admitted that despite being a driver at the heart of the action, he was asleep half an hour after leaving the circuit. He has perhaps been one of the most prominent critics of Formula One in its pre-Liberty state, and it has been reported that he will retire after 2017 if the new rule changes do not produce more exciting cars and races.

 

Mason Hawker

 

Replies (2)

Login to reply
  • Fridays are too important, they need to stay!

    • + 0
    • Feb 6 2017 - 11:00

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
22 - Mar 24
Australia
5 - Apr 7
Japan
19 - Apr 21
China
3 - May 5
United States of America
17 - May 19
Italy
24 - May 26
Monaco
7 - Jun 9
Canada
21 - Jun 23
Spain
28 - Jun 30
Austria
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
30 - Sep 1
Italy
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
29 - Mar 2
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
19 - Apr 21
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
21 - Jun 23
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team Aston Martin
  • Points 564
  • Podiums 9
  • Grand Prix 163
  • Country ES
  • Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (43)
  • Place of b. Oviedo, ES
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.71 m
Show full profile
show sidebar