Tost wants more races overseas

Franz Tost

Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost says Formula One should travel to more places outside Europe.

With Germany eventually dropped from the 2017 calendar, there will be only seven races – out of 20 events – held on the Old continent, which remains the heartland of the sport and its fandom. Europe will get back an extra date the following season though, with Circuit Paul Ricard set to make a return in 2018 to end a ten-year hiatus for France.

For me, we must head to other destinations, there are too many European grands prix," Tost told Austrian publication Tiroler Tageszeitung when asked about Le Castellet coming back.

“I know that I have a different opinion compared to my colleagues, but we should go [back] to South Africa, we need more races in the USA, we need to go [back] to Argentina, and India would also be a really important market.

“Formula One is a global sport. In 2015, half a billion people watched our races live. Such viewing figures are only achieved by the football World Cup and the Olympic Games.

“We have [grands prix] every two weeks. The product is still working, but it can always be improved."

F1 new owners Liberty Media already said they wanted to add more races to the calendar, possibly extending its schedule to include up to 25 events with extra events in Latin America, Asia and the United States.