Formula One could expand to 20 grands prix in future but that should be the upper limit, team bosses said at a motor sport business forum in Bahrain. The current season has 18 races, after 17 last year and a record 19 in 2005.

“I think 20 races is a big number but a sensible number,” organisers quoted Red Bull team principal Christian Horner assaying in a review of the day’s activities ahead of Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix. “It’s a huge logistical challenge but the way the teams are working with each other to self-regulate testing it is possible.” Honda chief executive Nick Fry agreed:

“I think 20 grands prix is about right,” he said. “The balance of traditional circuits in Europe and circuits in new continents is vital. Formula One needs to go where the commercial market is and that market is moving from Europe and North America to the Middle East and Asia.”

Formula One has two new venues this year, with a European Grand Prix in Valencia and the first night-time race in Singapore, but the US Grand Prix at Indianapolis has gone.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.