Wolff makes proposal: 'China, like America, deserves three races'

F1 News

4 May 2022 at 09:30
Last update 4 May 2022 at 16:00
  • GPblog.com

This coming weekend we will go to Miami for the first time in the history of Formula 1 and starting next season there will be a third Grand Prix in America, in Las Vegas. In recent years, the popularity of Formula 1 in America has increased tremendously, so F1 has opted for more races in the country. However, in other countries there is also enough popularity for more races.

Toto Wolff also notes this in conversation with the Chinese news agency Xinhua. The Mercedes team boss spoke to the news agency about the future of the F1 calendar and its increased popularity from circuits all around the world. Due to the coronavirus there has not been a Chinese Grand Prix for quite some time, but according to Wolff F1 will return to China, because of the popularity of F1 there.

Big market to discover in China

Indeed, there is a big market in China for Formula 1, just as there is in America. The advantage of the Chinese is that there is currently a Chinese driving at Alfa Romeo. Guanyu Zhou was active in Formula 2 for a long time, but this year he made the switch to the top of motorsport. So, according to Wolff, there is still a lot of popularity to be gained in China.

"I'd like to not only race in Shanghai, I'd also like to race in Beijing. It's a fantastic market for us as Mercedes. We have three races in the U.S. now, Las Vegas, Miami and Austin and if we can do the same thing in China, that would be great." The space for two additional races in China is not currently there on the calendar, but in the future, Wolff says the growing market in China is definitely something to keep an eye on.