Parr proposes two-day GP

Williams chief executive Adam Parr has put forward the idea of a two-day grand prix weekend in a bid to help teams with costs.

With Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone’s global expansion plans ongoing and the likelihood of a calendar stretching to as many as 24 races per season, Parr feels sacrifices will have to be made.

One proposal is to axe Friday practice as Parr sees little value in the two 90-minute sessions, but increase the entertainment level to stay in touch the fans.

Parr was speaking as he confirmed Williams’ financial accounts for the year ending 2009, with the Grove-based marque making a profit of £4.5m (€5.3m) – down from £9.1m (€10.7m) the previous year – based on a turnover of £108.3m (€127.45m).

“I have been talking to a number of people about whether we go to a two-day race weekend if we have more races,” said Parr.

“We bring stuff to run around with on Fridays, we change gearboxes, engines and so on, and that’s a lot of kit to cart around, and we also spend a lot of that day just sitting in the garage.

“One wonders whether we couldn’t just do preparation on Saturday, and then qualifying, but have more races.

“I can see the calendar going to 24 over the next two to three years, and I’m not sure whether logistically, with these longer weekends, it will be easy to do.

“I was very pleasantly surprised when I raised it the other day in Barcelona and again in Monaco, with Bernie, Stefano (Domenicali at Ferrari), Martin (Whitmarsh, McLaren), Gerard (Lopez, Renault) and no-one said ’we can’t do that’.

“We could still do things on a Friday that are interesting and different, such as a pro-am race, something fun to liven things up a bit and have more interaction with the people trackside.

“But what we don’t do is run an F1 car, and I don’t see a lot of downside to it.”

Parr also feels F1 is stretching itself beyond its’ means by running 13 teams, as is poised to be the case for next year, with the FIA understood to have received 15 notifications of interest.

“I think going to 13 teams is too many. I don’t think the sport can sustain 13. There isn’t room. The absolute maximum should be 12,” insisted Parr.

“I’d be surprised if there are 13 next year, but I’m impressed and pleasantly surprised there are that many people queueing up to start a new team.

“If I wanted to come into Formula One I’d buy a team, and there are teams for sale. To me it makes no sense to create a new team.”

Parr is at least happy enough with Williams’ financial position, although concedes the team “would be toast” if not for the current resource restriction agreement that came into place for this season.

Although Williams are to lose one of their long-term sponsors in RBS at the end of the year, Parr added: “This year I’m expecting results to be at least as good as 2009.

“I believe very strongly that the health of Formula One, from an economics perspective, is pretty much measured by the health of Williams, and we’re in good shape.”