The FIA has announced a mandatory winter shutdown for Formula 1 teams amid concerns over the impact longer seasons are having on staff.
This year, the F1 circus will make an unprecedented 23 stops around the globe – beginning in Bahrain for pre-season testing this week before concluding in Abu Dhabi in November. The plan was to have 24 races, but the Chinese Grand Prix originally scheduled for mid-April has been cancelled.
Nevertheless, the schedule will be gruelling for all involved. Even though the calendar starts and ends in the Middle East, there will be around 80,000 miles of travelling around the globe over the course of the season with few opportunities for extended periods of rest.
