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Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team driver Fernando Alonso of Team Spain comes in for a pitstop at the Formula 1 Pirelli United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas Sunday October 20, 2024. Jay Janner/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Former F1 Team Boss Hits Out At Mechanic Complaints - 'Complete Joke'

Originally posted on F1 on SI | By Lydia Mee | Last updated Feb 15, 2025 3:53 PM ET

Franz Tost, former principal of the AlphaTauri Formula 1 team (formerly known as Toro Rosso and now known as VCARB), has hit back at complaints from within the paddock of being overworked and struggling with a work-life balance.

During his tenure leading AlphaTauri, he was known for his demanding expectations from his team and drivers. His approach was characterized by a no-nonsense style. Under his leadership, the team saw significant successes, including bringing talents like Sebastian Vettel and Pierre Gasly to the forefront.

In recent years, Formula 1 has expanded its racing calendar considerably, now featuring a record 24 races a season, including six sprint races. This increase in events has led many to voice concerns over logistics and the well-being of team members who have to endure extensive travel and tight turnaround times.

Tost, however, sees this increase in events in a different light. He explained to Motorsport-Total:

“I think 24 races is totally fine.

“People always say that the mechanics are overworked. That’s a complete joke. They’re not overworked at all.

“[Beforehand] we had the race at the weekend, and we tested on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. In the beginning, we even had two cars. And it was always the same technicians and engineers. I never heard a complaint from them back then.

“Now there’s a curfew in Formula 1, which means it’s over at 9pm in the evening. Until 8am the next morning. Jesus, what more do they want?

“They’re allowed to work in Formula 1, that’s a privilege. All this work-life balance, all this s***, it’s totally pointless. You don’t need something like that. It’s something for people who are too lazy to work.”

As discussions around expanding the calendar continue, Tost has also shared his belief that there's room for even more races, suggesting a vision where the calendar could potentially reach up to 26 races. He added:

“You have to do as many races as possible.

“It could be up to 26. The year has 52 weeks. Every second week would make sense. And I’m not saying that now because I’m retired. I’ve always said that before.”

For the latest F1 news, head over to F1 on SI.

2025 Formula One Season Schedule

Pre-Season Testing

Dates: 26-28 Feb
Location: Bahrain, Sakhir
Event Name: FORMULA 1 ARAMCO PRE-SEASON TESTING 2025
Circuit: Pre-Season Testing

Australia

Dates: 14-16 Mar
Location: Australia, Melbourne
Event Name: FORMULA 1 AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2025
Circuit: Melbourne circuit

China

Dates: 21-23 Mar
Location: China, Shanghai
Event Name: FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN CHINESE GRAND PRIX 2025
Circuit: Shanghai circuit

Japan

Dates: 04-06 Apr
Location: Japan, Suzuka
Event Name: FORMULA 1 LENOVO JAPANESE GRAND PRIX 2025
Circuit: Suzuka circuit

Bahrain

Dates: 11-13 Apr
Location: Bahrain, Sakhir
Event Name: FORMULA 1 BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX 2025
Circuit: Sakhir circuit

Saudi Arabia

Dates: 18-20 Apr
Location: Saudi Arabia, Jeddah
Event Name: FORMULA 1 STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX 2025
Circuit: Jeddah circuit

Miami

Dates: 02-04 May
Location: Miami, Miami
Event Name: FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX 2025
Circuit: Miami circuit

Emilia-Romagna

Dates: 16-18 May
Location: Emilia-Romagna, Imola
Event Name: FORMULA 1 AWS GRAN PREMIO DEL MADE IN ITALY E DELL'EMILIA-ROMAGNA 2025
Circuit: Imola circuit