Max Verstappen Expresses Concern For Mechanics Hectic Schedules Following Updated 2020 Calendar

Red Bull’s lead driver Max Verstappen has voiced his skepticism concerning the extension of the 2020 calendar to 22 events, suggesting it will lead to divorces for mechanics.

Formula 1 recently announced the addition of two venues to its calendar to make the championship have 22 races. These would be the Vietnamese and Dutch Grand Prix.

Verstappen feels the team bosses and drivers would manage just fine, but it will be hard for mechanics that travel to the track early in the week.

He said in a statement; he understood Formula 1 wanted to make money, but they should have considered the staff who maintains the track and the cars.

He added, they arrive on Monday or Tuesday to set up everything while the executives arrive on the weekend, perhaps Saturday morning, and even fly back home during the race. They are at the track for three days at the most, while the staff at the ground stays there for at least five or six days.

Verstappen claimed his primary concern was for the crew members that have to spend long hours at the circuit.

He suggested picking the best tracks out there and making them the essential tracks on the calendar.

Sergio Perez from Racing Point expressed the same feelings on behalf of his crew members.

When asked about the 2020 schedule, he said it would be a lot of action. The trouble is not for the drivers, as he reiterated they love racing, but it comes with a lot of commitment. He added it was not only the racing to think about on the final day.

There are simulators, sponsorship events, and crews have to attend to all of this. They make sure everyone gets the most out of the event.

In short, it would be asking too much. Perez did admit the current fast-paced schedule was hard for him as a driver consider he is a family man with children.

He said jokingly they might divorce him.

Perez added they started with 19 races, and now the schedule is getting out of hand. However, he voiced his concern for the mechanics and engineers as he believes they are the ones who would be worried by the reduction of personal time from the updated schedule.

Mercedes driver, Lewis Hamilton, was of the opposite opinion claiming he was happy to see the changes because they would make the sport less boring.

He stated the program is monotonous at the moment because it is the same every season.