Bernie Ecclestone has reiterated his desire to see the FIA F1 World Championship calendar expand to 20 races a season.
Ecclestone has long been pushing to increase the number of races a year and next season there is provisionally 19 on the bill - two more than in '09, with South Korea and Canada joining the fold.
However, while more races would appeal to Ecclestone, it remains to be seen how the teams will feel, especially given the current economic climate - although a proposal to allow testing after a grand prix could be one way to appease them and help make it a bit more financially viable.
"I always said that it is possible [we could have a 20-race calendar] and obviously now there are more and more people falling for that idea," he told the official F1 website.
"Nobody needs testing. It was always, in my opinion, that testing costs money while racing brings money. Or let them test on Monday after the race when everybody is at the track, the hotels are paid for and that huge logistical effort is eliminated."
The number of F1 events has increased in recent years to accommodate new countries, and that has seen the calendar gradually creep up from 16 races per season, which was the norm in the 1990s.
Only last weekend Abu Dhabi hosted its inaugural F1 event and Ecclestone was impressed with the 5.554 kilometre track, which was designed by renowned F1 architect Hermann Tilke.
"I am overwhelmed and I think everybody felt the same when they saw this. It is monumental," he continued. "When I came here in April a lot was not finished but I definitely knew that there would be race in the autumn, although it was hard to believe it at that time.
"Look what they’ve done. It is almost a miracle come true thinking about where we started," he summed-up.
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'MORE MONEY IN BERNIE'S POCKETS!!!'
dont know how many times i have to say this, the money DOES NOT GO INTO BERNIES POCKET!
he works for a company called CVC and they own the F1 brand, do you get it now?
MORE GP'S = MORE MONEY IN BERNIE'S POCKETS!!!
I would love to see 20 well though out calander events for F1, Now I don't want to see this sport become a side show like NASCAR were there racing 35-40 times a year.
But with 20 races I think there should be some in season testing allowed, every 4 races each team gets a week to test at will. Keeping cost lower then if there wasn't a testing ban but still allowing for team to improve there cars for an even more exciting season as it progresses.
I think the times are changing in Formula 1 and to keep up with the demandsof the fans Bernie Ecclestone, is looking to change with them. Unlike the days of old were we were only allowed to watch a race if it wasn't "subject to blacked out". The sport and the fans are gowing, so please give us what we want.
I'd love 20 Races with testing on Monday. USA, Motreal, Silverstone, France, Germany, Melbourne, Spa, Monza, Monaco and Suzuka should always be on the calendar.
the only silver lining here is that bern-putz is 78 years old. hopefully he will fall over on the grid and break a hip...leading to other complications, pneumonia etc and then he can finally die and we can have our F1 back
If Britain, France, the USA, Canada and Belgium are not staging their F1 GPs, how is Bernie Ecclestone going to achieve his 20-race calendar? Korea and India haven't started their circuits yet, as far as I know, and the German round's looking dodgy, too.
Think it makes more money for CVC than anyone else ,maybe they are wanting the loan to be paid off before the teams go their own way?
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