F1 moving towards 'Christmas shutdown' agreement to get rest
Nov.4 - Formula 1 teams are moving to install a forced shutdown period during the winter off-season to cope with the sport's now ever-expanding race calendars.
Already, the regulations require that all teams observe a strict "shutdown period" of two full weeks during the now customary three-week calendar gap in August.
And with this year's 22-race calendar expanding to an unprecedented 24 grands prix in 2023, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admits talks are taking place about adding a second shutdown period.
Mercedes AMG F1 Team boss Toto Wolff
"It's great that this season is ending a couple of weeks earlier than last year," he said. "Employees are already at their limit."
"I think we will agree with the teams on a winter break. Not everyone agrees, but we will do it for our staff. One or two weeks of vacation in the winter will benefit everyone."
"Yes, work at the factory will continue over Christmas and New Year, but the race team, which goes from place to place all year, will be able to rest."
"Many team leaders would like to repeat what we have in the summer - a mandatory two-week break that includes Christmas and New Year. It is still being discussed, but there are positive signs."
"I'm sure that for the sake of the well-being of our people, we will agree."
4 F1 Fan comments on “F1 moving towards 'Christmas shutdown' agreement to get rest”
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Realistically not many protagonists or much about F1 is Christian, but it would make sense to have the first two weeks of the year off, so hangovers can be nursed and anyway the weather is often too grotty to want to go to work.
All F1 teams deserve a good break, as it is the yearly schedule is overdone.
Smart move.
Discrimination against the factory 🏭 folks Tontosser
They deserve parity having worked hard all year to develop and provide parts that unfortunately were ineffective
All are equal but some are more equal than others it seems