Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has insisted historical races will "always be a part of the calendar" but suggested the principle of rotating schedules is getting nearer. The rising popularity of the sport in recent years has seen interest in holding races increase, with the Middle East and the United States, in particular, ramping up their involvement. But this has come at a cost, with a number of F1's classic circuits at risk of falling off the schedule. The Belgian Grand Prix, for example, has been threatened in recent years, though it is set for another reprieve for 2024 following the abandonment of plans for a race in South Africa. Spa-Francorchamps has undergone extensive redevelopment, something Domenicali believes is crucial for historical races to remain in F1. Speaking on the Beyond the Grid podcast, Domenicali said: "In Europe, I am expecting to see races where the rotational principle could be applied. "There are already talks with some of them and this is something that in the next two years we are going to clarify formally. "Historical races will always be part of the calendar, but there is the need for some of them to recognise the changes that they have to make on the infrastructure," he explained. "Fans are coming more and more with different needs. "If you do not give them what they deserve, it’s not historical anymore, is it? "Two years ago, when there was discussion that Belgium is out of the calendar. The answer was Belgium is on the calendar, but they reacted very well. "They invested in infrastructure that is related to the best experience that we want to give to the fans."
F1 calendar target
F1 aimed to hit a record-breaking 24 races on this year's calendar, only for the Chinese and Emila Romagna Grands Prix to fall off the schedule. But targeting the same number for 2024, Domenicali insisted: "What we want to do next year is 24 and I think 24 is the right number. "I would say it’s the right balance between that, the complexity of the logistics and of the people that are working. "I would say this is the number which we should target to be stable for a long time."
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