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Ricciardo on criticism Verstappen over F1 calendar Interesting from Max

Ricciardo on criticism of Verstappen on F1 calendar: 'Interesting from Max'

17 July 2023 at 14:52
Last update 17 July 2023 at 15:49
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  • GPblog.com

Formula 1 has been wanting to add more and more races to its calendar for a while now. As many as 24 Grands Prix are scheduled for next year and many drivers, including Max Verstappen, think that is too many. Daniel Ricciardo finds the Dutchman's criticism of the long F1 calendar"interesting".

F1 continues to expand calendar

In 2022, 22 races were scheduled. This season, in 2023, there were 23, but due to the cancellation of the Imola Grand Prix, there will still be 22 races, like last year. Next year, there will be two more. It is common knowledge that F1 wants to expand the number of races, in early 2022 F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali indicated that there could even easily be 30 races on the F1 calendar, but so we are not there yet for now.

Ricciardo responds to criticism Verstappen

Verstappen has spoken out on several occasions about the ever-lengthening Formula 1 calendar, and those comments were anything but positive. Former teammate Ricciardo understands the Dutchman, although the Australian does find it peculiar that Verstappen in particular is saying this. "It’s tough because we like the mental challenges of competition. But you can’t just keep getting the s*** kicked out of you week in and week out at some point," Ricciardo told Total-Motorsport.com.

“Hearing it from Max is interesting because this is someone in their prime at the top of the sport, if [even] he’s still saying I am tired or burnt out. Ultimately we got into racing because we love it and we enjoy it, and when the schedule takes away the pure enjoyment, that’s a risk."