McLaren CEO Zak Brown has outlined a bold vision for the future of the Formula 1 calendar, proposing a 24-race structure built around 20 permanent Grands Prix and eight events operating on a biennial rotation. The strategy would allow Formula 1 to expand into 28 global markets without increasing the already intense logistical burden placed on teams, drivers, mechanics, and paddock personnel.
McLaren says the Formula 1 calendar has reached saturation point
Formula 1 is experiencing an era of unprecedented commercial expansion, turning overwhelming demand from race promoters into a growing logistical challenge. The current 24-race limit has effectively become a critical threshold — a point beyond which the physical and mental strain on drivers, mechanics, engineers, and travelling staff could become unsustainable.
Against this backdrop, McLaren has proposed a clear strategy to balance Formula 1’s surging global popularity with the practical limitations of the championship’s operational infrastructure. Speaking during a recent media session in Florida, Zak Brown shared his medium- and long-term vision for the sport’s future. According to the American executive, success in Formula 1 should not be measured solely by trophies won on track, but also by the sport’s ability to manage structural growth intelligently at a time when international demand appears unstoppable.
McLaren’s leadership also highlighted that despite geopolitical and economic uncertainty affecting industries worldwide, Formula 1 remains in exceptionally strong commercial health.
Zak Brown says no to a 25th Formula 1 race
The championship continues to strengthen its global appeal, attracting increasing interest from investors and governments willing to spend enormous sums to host a Formula 1 race weekend.
Under the current Concorde Agreement, the regulations theoretically allow Formula 1 to expand to 25 Grands Prix per season. However, that is an option firmly rejected by McLaren leadership. According to Zak Brown, adding another fixed event would place an unacceptable burden on a Formula 1 calendar that is already operating at extreme levels. Given the current demands of the championship, the concern is difficult to dismiss.
The current structure already leaves teams with limited time for technical development at the factory, while also restricting opportunities for staff to recover physically and mentally between events.
Rather than increasing the total number of races, McLaren believes the smarter solution is diversification through intelligent rotation between host venues.
McLaren’s rotation model: 28 markets without logistical overload
The pragmatic answer to rising international demand and lucrative proposals from prospective host nations, according to McLaren, is to institutionalise a rotating Grand Prix system.
The proposed structure would lock in 20 permanent races while introducing eight events on a two-year rotation. This would allow Formula 1 to maintain its 24-race annual ceiling while reaching 28 separate markets across two seasons. In many ways, this trend has already begun.
From next season, historic but financially challenging venues such as Spa-Francorchamps and Barcelona are expected to begin operating within a rotation model. Strategic returns are also reportedly being planned, with Portugal linked to a 2027 comeback ahead of a two-year agreement, while Turkey is also being discussed for a return under a proposed five-year deal.
Meanwhile, high-potential emerging markets such as South Africa, Thailand, and South Korea continue pushing for a place on the Formula 1 calendar. Given that it is logistically impossible to satisfy every promoter, rotation increasingly looks like the only commercially viable and politically workable solution. This model would help preserve Formula 1’s exclusivity, prevent oversaturation of the product, and maintain strong fan demand in local markets by turning each race into a rarer, more special event.
Perhaps most importantly, it would help protect a paddock that is already operating dangerously close to its organisational and human limits.
From McLaren’s perspective, Zak Brown’s proposal represents the most balanced compromise between Formula 1’s aggressive global expansion ambitions and the long-term sustainability of the sport itself.
Doing anything else risks pushing an already overloaded championship even closer to breaking point.
As Formula 1 continues to navigate its global popularity surge, the shift toward a rotating calendar appears to be the most viable way to balance commercial growth with human welfare. By prioritizing a sustainable schedule, the sport can ensure that its expansion into new territories doesn’t come at the cost of the very people who make the spectacle possible.
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