Max Mosley has expressed concern over the length of the 2011 calendar which, for the first time will feature 20 races.
The former FIA-President believes fans will become tired by continually dedicating their Sundays to the sport.
“For me, personally, [20 races] is too much,” he told German newspaper Welt. The F1 Times
The USA and Russia are set to add possibly more additional grands prix in the near future, moving Sir Frank Williams to recently muse that he can envisage a 22-race schedule before long.
“In my opinion that’s too many Sunday afternoons to expect people to dedicate to Formula One. At some point, it starts to become tiresome.”
“And then if you start skipping a race here and there it can quickly become a habit and it can snowball in terms of the TV ratings,” he added.
Mosley, whose successor as FIA president is the former Ferrari boss Jean Todt, is also worried that F1 team budgets are still far too high.
“In January 2008 I warned that without cost reduction it won’t be only the small teams having problems,” said the 70-year-old Briton. “It has arrived: Honda, BMW, Toyota and Renault have gone because the budgets are out of proportion.
“This continues to be true and it worries me,” admitted Mosley. “There is the risk of a crisis in the short term. Currently, a great season is being celebrated but the future looks bleak.
“For 2011 you need $100 million, with 30 or 40 from Bernie Ecclestone, perhaps 20 to 25 from sponsors or the drivers. I’d say six teams are wondering where the rest is coming from. It’s quite possible we’ll lose two or three teams.” ESPN F1
| 
|