Szafnauer wants later start/finish for F1 calendar

The annual formula one calendar should be shifted in order to give team staff a more suitable period of holidays at year’s end.

That is the opinion of Otmar Szafnauer, chief operating officer at the independent Silverstone based team, Force India.

Traditionally, the F1 calendar kicks off in March, ending some time in November.

Szafnauer said that, as a consequence, team staff take an initial end-of-season break before the pressure ramps up around Christmas to prepare the following season’s car.

"If we started a month later and the season then finished a bit later, we (the season) would be finished for Christmas.

"We could then shut the factories so that everyone comes back in the new year at full speed," Szafnauer explained to the Dutch language formule1.nl.

He said his proposal has been discussed within the FOTA group, but admitted he is not confident the shape of the calendar will change dramatically any time soon.

"It’s not going to happen from one day to the next, because of the contracts with many of the circuits," added Szafnauer.