’14-15 races will be a very complete season’

Formula 1 wants 18 races before the 2020 season is declared done but Zak Brown says “14-15” is a more realistic target.

Last month Liberty Media chief Chase Carey announced his plans to get the 2020 season underway, targetting a double-header in Austria in July as the first two races.

He’s keen on two months in Europe and then over to Asia, the Americas and finally wrapping up with Bahrain and Abu Dhabi.

Carey reckons 18 races is possible.

Brown, however, doesn’t believe Formula 1 will get in that many, pointing that the sport only needs eight to be classified as a World Championship.

“Eight [grands prix] is enough [to qualify as a World Championship] and I’m optimistic we’ll get in more than eight,” the McLaren boss told Autosport.

“Formula 1 is looking at a schedule of 16 to 18, kind of 15 circuits, 18 races. I’m a little bit more pessimistic than that, I would place my bet on 14-15 races at 10 circuits.

“I think we will do a couple races in Austria, a couple races at Silverstone. If we start running into issues with travelling, then I think you could see doubling up at some other races.

“I don’t think that’s the intention, but I’m going to assume that we’re going to hit a glitch, somewhere along the way.

“Even though Austria is ready and maybe Silverstone is ready behind closed doors, we don’t know if the second wave [of the virus] will come.

“If we want to go to Asia, or America; I think it’s going to be when we get on planes and have to fly overseas where I think the risk will start to potentially get greater.

“There’s a conversation about more races in Europe. The schedule was only ever 16 races for a long time.

“So, to me, 14-15 races, is going to be a very complete championship.”

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