Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has emphasized the need for prospective hosts to demonstrate long-term financial sustainability before securing a place on the series' fixed 24-race calendar. Amid surging global interest, F1 prioritizes multi-year deals that ensure infrastructure investments and stable revenue. Domenicali dismissed premature claims from places like India and South Africa while highlighting ongoing extensions in key markets.
With Formula 1's popularity driving bids from cities and governments worldwide, series president and CEO Stefano Domenicali stressed that one-year peaks are insufficient. Speaking to Autosport, he said, 'It's about how we can have the assurance that when we go to a new place, there is a vision for multiple years to be there and there has to be a relevant market.' F1 requires proof of fan base and commercial viability for deals spanning five to 10 years or more, enabling promoters to justify major investments like new paddocks or hospitality areas in Miami, Australia, Hungary, and Austin. Most of the calendar is now locked until at least 2032, with Austria's Red Bull Ring extended to 2041 and circuits in Melbourne, Madrid, Bahrain, and Montreal secured for another decade. Domenicali noted, 'Something that I always said on investor calls... it's because we can ask the promoter to invest.' Premature announcements, such as Indian officials' 2027 return claim or South African speculation, have been dismissed by F1 management, as have hopes for Argentina despite driver Franco Colapinto's rise. North America already hosts five races—Miami, Montreal, Austin, Mexico City, and Las Vegas—with no plans to add more unless an existing one drops, like Mexico whose deal ends in 2028. Promising bids include street races in Thailand's Bangkok and South Korea's Incheon, though political hurdles persist. Domenicali affirmed the calendar's balance between logistics and commerce, citing recent shifts like placing Canada after Miami to cut freight emissions.