The length of the Formula 1 calendar is further limiting the "aggression" with which teams and drivers can tackle individual races.

That is the view of Mika Hakkinen, when asked by Tagesspiegel newspaper about what he regards as the current state of F1.

"Already drivers are having to conserve the car," he said, "taking care of the tyres, engine, brakes, but that's not what a racer wants."

He thinks that in earlier eras, and also those with calendars notably shorter than the unprecedented 21-race schedule of 2016, were more about how "aggressive" a driver can race.

"But a driver today knows very well that he has a very, very long season in front of him," said the Finn.

"Many teams enter a race with the goal of minimising risk and finishing the race in order to take as many points as possible."

Hakkinen acknowledged that the same is true in any series, but "the hunger of the driver is given more free space" in many categories outside of today's F1.