Teams need more money for 21 races - Marchionne

Ferrari has backed Mercedes in worrying about next year’s unprecedentedly-long race calendar.

The FIA recently approved an increase in the maximum number of races per season from 20 to 21, as Germany returns and Azerbaijan joins the calendar.

But Mercedes chief Toto Wolff thinks the new schedule pushes teams beyond what is "feasible" in terms of the workload for staff with families.

Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne, meanwhile, is worried about the financial aspect.

"Bernie now has to come to the teams to ensure that all of them can come to the 21 races that he has put on the schedule," he is quoted by Finland’s Turun Sanomat newspaper.

"The maximum number of grands prix has been increased, so Bernie knows what he has to do now," Marchionne added. "He has to raise more money to ensure that all the teams are able to come to that many races."

Team boss Maurizio Arrivabene backed his fellow Italian, declaring that "It is clear that there will be some help from FOM, because the calendar is really crazy."