Zak Brown proposes rotating Formula 1 calendar to open the door for new destinations

Zak Brown believes Formula 1 should rethink the structure of its calendar as more countries continue to express interest in hosting a Grand Prix. The McLaren Racing CEO does not want the championship to expand beyond 24 races per season, describing the current schedule as demanding enough for teams, drivers and travelling staff.

Instead, Brown would like Formula 1 to retain 20 permanent races, with several additional events rotating on and off the calendar. In his view, this approach would allow the sport to reach new markets without placing further strain on those working in the paddock.

Asked ahead of the Miami Grand Prix what success would look like for Formula 1 over the next decade, Brown initially responded with a smile.

"Winning," the American joked, as quoted by RacingNews365.

"The sport continuing to grow. I don't really see any headwinds other than what's going on around the world, so we'll all be sharing those same concerns. But the sport is just going from strength to strength," Brown added in a more serious tone.

Formula 1 has already started to move in this direction. Spa-Francorchamps and the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya are set to alternate from next year, while Portugal and Turkey are also expected to return to the calendar.

At the same time, South Africa, Thailand and South Korea are among the countries trying to secure a place on the schedule, meaning competition for race slots is becoming increasingly intense.

Brown believes a structured rotation could be the answer.

"There are countries lining up for grands prix. We can't... we're now having to get into alternating some grands prix. So, I think we need to, and I would be a fan of, locking in 20 permanent grands prix and then having maybe eight that rotate every other year. It's a way to expand geographically into 28 markets, but we can't race more than 24 times a year; it's a pretty brutal schedule," the McLaren CEO added.