F1 must accept move to new markets - Todt

Jean Todt says he supports formula one’s push out of Europe into new markets.

The FIA president was speaking at India’s new Buddh circuit, amid some observers’ fears that the sport is steadily walking away from its traditional hosts and venues.

"Slowly (F1) is moving from Europe to other developing countries in Asia and the Middle East.

"India is a strong emerging country and I admire the investments made for building the infrastructure and the resilience shown by the people," said Todt.

It has also been suggested in the F1 paddock that the calendar is becoming too crammed, with personnel required to travel quickly between countries separated by long distances and different time zones.

"Firstly, the calendar is proposed by F1 rights holder or should we say Bernie Ecclestone," Todt told the Times of India.

"We are running a world wide championship and teams should be prepared for some travelling. But I think 20 races is good and we shouldn’t increase that," he said.

And as for F1’s European decline, with the sport absent even in Todt’s native France, he told the Economic Times: "I wouldn’t call it a decline; the world is changing.

"This is a transfer of ideas and resources from one part of the world to another - from the traditional F1 enclaves to big emerging nations."