"Our house isn't on fire" - FIA president says no hurry to decide on increasing F1 sprint races but does not rule it out

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem says there’s no hurry in deciding whether to increase the number of F1 Sprint races from the 2023 season, claiming there is still plenty of time to decide on a course of action.

After giving initial consent to the plan following unanimous support from Formula One Management (FOM) and the teams, the FIA is still evaluating the feasibility and impact of the plan. Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said:

“I support the races if it is the right thing to do. I’m not saying it is the wrong thing. I am saying there is time to decide. This is for 2023, not this season. Our house isn’t on fire. We have what is called a democracy: Formula One (Group) have a vote, the teams have a vote, I have a vote. If you then say I can’t abstain or take time to study the proposals, then you are not allowing me the freedom of democracy.”

Following a positive response towards Sprint races from both fans and teams alike, F1 wanted to double the number of Sprint events from next season onwards. At the previous F1 commission meeting late last month, the teams and the FOM unanimously agreed to the plan.

The FIA, however, refused to give formal approval to the plan, stating that it still needed to evaluate the “impact of the proposal” on safety, trackside operations, and personnel. Furthermore, the governing body reportedly sought a financial contribution from the FOM in return for the approval of the plan.

Ben Sulayem denied that he had sought the money, but claimed that if he had, it would only be used to improve the sport. He added, saying:

“I did not ask for more money but if I had I would have wanted to use it in the right way – to invest in the proper regulation of the sport. We say Formula One is the pinnacle, and it is, so we at the FIA need the resources to govern the technical and financial side of a billion-dollar sport in a manner that respects that. We need the capability to observe those standards.”

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McLaren CEO bats for F1’s return to Asia

F1 is currently focused on increasing the number of Sprint races and adding more venues to the calendar, especially in the United States. McLaren CEO Zak Brown, however, felt that the sport was ignoring other parts of the world with “great potential”.

Calling for more events in Asia and Africa, he said:

“I think Asia, it is unfortunate with Covid that we are missing China again. It is great we are going back to Singapore [this season], Japan is an awesome event. You saw the interest in Australia having missed that for a couple of years. We are in a great place with America, but Africa would be great, and I’d like to see us continue to grow in Asia.”

Before the pandemic, FOM was targeting an increased presence in Asia, with a visit to Vietnam planned for the first time in 2020. Following the cancellation of the Hanoi City GP, along with all other races in Asia, the sport is yet to return to the continent.