Former champ calls for 26 car grids

Formula One will hold only its second ever 21 race calendar in 2018.

The new American owners in Liberty, want to build the sport and make it bigger and better than ever before.

They have already hinted at holding more and more races per season and the thought of a 25+ Grand Prix calendar cannot be far away.

But what about the number of cars on the grid?

From 2021, Formula One is expecting a shake-up of the regulations, the idea is that it will attract new manufacturers to the sport, with Aston Martin and Cosworth, the most notable linked names along with the Audi Group.

But talks around the new regulations have not pleased current manufacturers Mercedes and most notably Ferrari, who have threatened to leave the sport if they do not agree with the direction the sport is heading.

‘Formula 1 will have great challenges ahead if they let any manufacturer walk away. 1992 Formula One World Champion Nigel Mansell told Sky Sports.

‘We only have 20 cars on the grid now. In the heyday there were 43 Formula 1 cars trying to qualify for 26 places. The fans worldwide are crying out to have 26 cars now. We need new drivers, new blood, new manufacturers to start competing on a level playing field.’

Mansell concluded: ‘Hopefully Liberty are going to get some new regulations that everyone will embrace and there will be a more level playing field where people can be competitive.

‘There is something wrong with any sport when you have, as a good or bad example, an incredible team like McLaren who have won so many world championships and an incredible manufacturer of engines like Honda, they couldn’t get it together. It shouldn’t be that difficult.’