Formula 1 Managing Dir, Commercial Operations Sean Bratches said that F1 "wants more than 21 races and will actively target new venues rather than wait for potential hosts to come calling," according to Alan Baldwin of REUTERS. Bratches said that he was "aiming for fewer back-to-back grands prix and a calendar drawn up along continental lines." He added that France and Germany, "historic motor racing nations" that dropped grands prix and are returning next season, were two markets "we never want to leave." Bratches: "We want to work in partnership with our teams in terms of determining where we go, but our view is that we’d like to go above 21 (races)." He added that "next season would have 21 rather than the current 20 with France and Germany joining and Malaysia leaving." He said, "We want to be a little bit more proactive and go on the offensive in terms of the markets where we go." Bratches said that an economic impact study was "looking at the benefits" F1 can bring to host cities and countries. He said, "As we start identifying an optimal calendar in optimal regions, we can go down and sit with cities and make our case as opposed to what has been a little bit more reactive to bids coming in" (REUTERS, 6/2).
