PARIS: Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel on Friday cautioned against the temptation to shoehorn too many Formula One races into a revised calendar, describing the move as “not realistic.”
The 22-event F1 season has been decimated by the coronavirus with nine races either canceled or postponed.
The French Grand Prix scheduled for June 28 is also in doubt as is the Belgian Grand Prix, set for Aug. 30.
F1 chiefs have floated the idea of making up for lost time by staging races on successive weekends or even having two races on the same weekend.
However, Ferrari star Vettel fears such a move could lead to burnout for team staff.
“We drivers are a little privileged,” Vettel told reporters by teleconference from his home in Switzerland.
“Of course, the races are tiring but there have to be limits for the staff. They must rest.
“We must also see if it is easy to reschedule races, if the circuits are not already taken. Many questions remain. I think the schedule will be busier, but 10 consecutive weekends is not realistic.”
Vettel suggested that he would favor staging races without fans if it allowed a quick resumption as long as it did not become a common feature.
Other sports have already toyed with the idea of staging events behind closed doors.
For example, the US PGA Tour on Thursday announced plans to resume in June, with the first four tournaments being closed to spectators.
“It’s complicated,” admitted Vettel. “On the one hand, there is the health of the sport, on the other, that of the people who work in the paddock and especially the fans.
“There are several options. No one likes to run in front of empty stands, but we will have to see if it will not allow us to resume much sooner.
“The first races will probably be a little different, but not too much, I hope, because we want to run in front of the fans.”
Vettel insists that for him even a 10-race season is just as valuable as a 22-race campaign.
However, he admits that the damage to the sport caused by the coronavirus pandemic could be fatal for the smaller teams on the grid.
Without racing, the massive TV and sponsorship revenues have dried up.
Half of the teams have already started furloughing staff.
Teams have agreed to lower the spending cap from $175 million to $150 million.
“Clearly, some small teams are in danger and, as a family, F1 has to take care of its own,” said Vettel.
Back-to-back racing overload as ‘not realistic,’ says Vettel
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Back-to-back racing overload as ‘not realistic,’ says Vettel
Kuwait welcomes its new PFL MENA champion
- Mohammad Alaqraa, 25, hailed on return home after welterweight title win over Badreddine Diani in Alkhobar
DUBAI: On Dec.15 Mohammad Alaqraa touched down at Kuwait International Airport carrying something he had been chasing for years: the PFL MENA welterweight championship belt.
His arrival came just 10 days after a unanimous decision victory over Morocco’s Badreddine Diani at Dhahran Expo in Alkhobar, Saudi Arabia. It marked a significant milestone for the Kuwaiti fighter and the combat sports landscape in the Middle East.
Greeted at the airport by his father, brother, excited fans and media representatives, Alaqraa spoke about his plans.
“It’s been a long journey, thanks to everyone that came to the airport and past events. Just like I promised I’ll get the MENA championship, my goal is to raise Kuwait’s name in this sport (and) now I promise next time I’ll come back with a world title,” he said.
Alaqraa’s arrival became an impromptu celebration. Fans had phone cameras ready for selfies and videos as he emerged holding his belt.
The championship fight against Diani was a full five-round affair that showcased Alaqraa’s growth. The judges scored the bout 49-46, 48-47 and 48-47 in his favor. Alaqraa had established control through pressure wrestling, fence work, and a steady jab.
The win was sweet after losing by referee’s stoppage to Omar El-Dafrawy in the 2024 PFL MENA Finals.
Alaqraa defeated Omar Hussein and Ayman Galal en route to the 2025 finals, with his semifinal victory over Galal ending in just 21 seconds with an oblique kick, the fastest finish in PFL MENA history.
At 25 years old, Alaqraa now holds a 10-1 record in MMA. His background encompasses multiple martial arts disciplines developed since childhood. He holds a judo black belt and finished first in an International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation tournament before turning professional in 2021.
Since leaving Kuwait at 17 to pursue MMA, Alaqraa has trained at American Kickboxing Academy under head coach Javier Mendez, the gym that has produced champions including Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev.
Alaqraa graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in industrial systems engineering while developing his fighting career.
