Greg Maffei, CEO of Liberty Media, mentioned on the Beyond the Grid podcast that Thailand and South Korea are making significant efforts to secure a spot on the Formula 1 calendar. The pressure, however, is evident with the current race count already putting a strain on teams.
Thailand’s interest was highlighted during the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, where the country’s Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, was seen on the grid, showcasing their intent to join the F1 circuit. South Korea, which previously hosted F1 races at the Korea International Circuit from 2010 to 2013, is also keen to bring back the sport.
Maffei shared the logistics behind the calendar, emphasizing that exceeding 24 races seems unlikely due to the mounting pressure it places on teams. He explained, ‘Yeah, I think it’s highly unlikely we’re going to go above 24. Clearly, there are strains at 24, and we’re working hard to try and reduce that. You know, putting the schedule together to these circuits, you’re trying to match several constraints.’
He added, ‘You’re trying to optimize for sales, you’re trying to optimize for distance, you’re trying to optimize for weather, and you have these historical venues at historic times. So that’s putting that calendar together, 24 probably puts us at the limit.’
Other countries showing interest include Indonesia, which has previously expressed varying degrees of intent to join the circuit. While efforts to bring F1 back to South Africa have not materialized, Maffei indicated that the sport continues to explore opportunities in different markets.
Madrid has already secured a spot, taking over the Spanish Grand Prix from 2026, although Barcelona is still vying to retain its race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya beyond that year. When asked about the potential for new circuits, Maffei did not rule out the possibility of rotation or dropping some current venues to accommodate new ones. ‘You could see rotation, you could see there are places that are more or less likely to stay on the calendar,’ he clarified.
As several countries push to join the F1 schedule, the sport faces the challenge of balancing traditional venues with new interests while keeping the race count manageable for teams. The dynamic nature of the calendar ensures ongoing negotiations and potential adjustments in the years to come.
Source: Planetf1
