- Title: Busy 2018 F1 schedule down to World Cup final
- Date: 20th June 2017
- Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (JUNE 20, 2017) (REUTERS) INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL IN GENEVA ENTRANCE OF INTERCONTINENTAL INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOBILE FEDERATION (FIA) FLAG SPORT FIA CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS MEN LISTENING DURING CONFERENCE PEOPLE CLAPPING WHILE SPEAKERS ARRIVING ON STAGE SIGN READING "FIA SPORT CONFERENCE 2017"/ FORMULA ONE CHIEF EXECUTIVE CHASE CAREY AND MERCEDES MOTORSPORT HEAD TOTO WOLFF DURING CONFERENCE CHASE CAREY TALKING ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMULA ONE CHIEF EXECUTIVE, CHASE CAREY, SAYING: "That schedule that went out is certainly the schedule, you know, we plan on next year, I think we wouldn't put it out if that wasn't the schedule planned on. Every year there is always unique thing we're playing around, next year it has got this unique event, the World Cup final, so part of the schedule of having three in a row was because we did not think it was ideal for a promoter to have to have an event head ahead with the World Cup final." VARIOUS OF CHASE CAREY TALKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMULA ONE CHIEF EXECUTIVE, CHASE CAREY, SAYING: "We did talk with our partners; we made sure with our partners that it was manageable. Obviously there is some travel where … having three in a row but there are all in Europe and I think everybody thought that was manageable and within that schedule did preserve the four-week break in August. So the four-week break now continues to exist for the teams to catch their breath, enjoy themselves a bit before we go into that, you know the sprint to finish the year." VARIOUS OF CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) MERCEDES MOTORSPORT HEAD, TOTO WOLFF, SAYING: "I think, the, we need to get the balance right, between the income, the more races you do, the more income you have and between keeping it exclusive. I don't have a particular problem with five races in six weeks, if there are in Europe, makes the logistics not very difficult. I think that we shouldn't go much beyond 20 races because it is a fact of saturation of the markets. How many races can you watch? How interested can be your world long season. So there is a balance that we need to get right." CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS CAMERA SCREEN SHOWING SPEAKERS ON STAGE CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) MERCEDES MOTORSPORT HEAD, TOTO WOLFF, SAYING: "The sport is about gladiators, it is about drivers that, the very best drivers that compete in the most performance machines on track. And when you look at the history it was always around personalities in Formula One. The sport shouldn't be too streamlined, too corporate, too polished. It is a very tough competition that is happening out there and this is what I said, is just, we just need to stay all authentic to our values and not dive too much into the corporate slips streaming." VARIOUS OF CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS FIA PRESIDENT, JEAN TODT, TALKING ON STAGE DURING CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (French) FIA PRESIDENT, JEAN TODT, SAYING: "We need to make choices. Fortunately, we now have communication tools that allow to access to different events at the same time. So I think this is on contrary wonderful to have the possibility to choose, to go from a channel to another." CAMERA SCREEN SHOWING JEAN TODT TALKING ON STAGE DURING CONFERENCE JEAN TODT DURING CONFERENCE PEOPLE CLAPPING AS JEAN TODT LEAVING STAGE INTERCONTINENTAL SIGN
- Embargoed: 4th July 2017 17:36
- Keywords: F1 Formula 1 racing motor racing Chase Carey
- Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- City: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- Country: Switzerland
- Topics: Motor Racing,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0016M33HVJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Formula One will have three races in successive weekends to avoid a clash with the FIFA World Cup final in 2018, F1 chief said on Tuesday (June 20).
The governing International Automobile Federation (FIA), published a 21-race 2018 calendar on Monday (June 19) with an unprecedented three races on successive weekends due to logistical reasons.
Formula One CEO and chairman, Chase Casey said this "three in a row" was partly to avoid a clash with the 2018 FIFA World Cup final and also to maintain the August break.
Spain's Circuit de Barcelona opens the European season on May 13, followed by the showcase Monaco race, before Formula One travels across the Atlantic to Canada on June 10 and then returns to France.
The race at Le Castellet, inland from Marseille, will be on June 24, avoiding a clash with the Le Mans 24 Hours on June 16-17, followed by Austria on July 1 and Silverstone on July 8.
Germany returns on July 22 with a race at Hockenheim, followed by Hungary on the next weekend. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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