By pitpass.com (13/1/2004)
January 14 2004

Following Frank Williams' admission that he doesn't believe the 2004 French GP will happen, Peter Sauber has revealed that he is of the opinion that an eighteen race schedule is too much for many F1 teams. Speaking at the launch of his team's 2004 contender, the C23, the Swiss said: "I prefer 17 races, eighteen races is too much for the teams.

"But if my colleagues, all nine of them, prefer an 18th race then we have to go in this direction," he added. "And then we take the money, of course."

Talking to pitpass last week Minardi boss Paul Stoddart admitted that he would only consider an eighteenth race if there was sizeable compensation in place.

"Grand Prix number eighteen does not just happen," said the Australian, "it is not a given, it happens when the teams, the FIA and FOM (Ecclestone's Formula One Management) agree to it, in other words when the Concorde Agreement signatories agree to it.

"I hope there'll be an agreement," he added, "but speaking personally I will not be able to afford to do that Grand Prix, it's not in my budget, without some compensation, and I'm sure everyone else is hanging out for the same thing."

It's thought that a decision may be reached at tomorrow's meeting of the team bosses, though some are predicting that the 'powers that be' are prepared to give the issue a little more time.

This article was written by pitpass.com and is used with permission.

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