Lew wants more – but Seb is full

RACE rivals Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel are at loggerheads over the proposed expansion of the Formula One season.

The 2017 campaign will stretch over 248 days, from this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix until November’s 20th and final race in Abu Dhabi.

But the sport’s new owners Liberty Media, who paid £6billion for the franchise last year, have a long-term vision of a 25-race calendar.

And while Hamilton, who is bidding to win his fourth drivers’ championship, would be in favour, Vettel (below) would rather resist further tinkering.

The Brit said: “I think if you asked any member of my team whether they’d want to do more races or less, they’d ask for more. It is definitely tough on the guys that are travelling but th they love it, they’re add addicted to it.

“I love racing so I’m not opposed to more races but I think they’ve got to c change the structure, at least on different wee weekends. If it’s the same four days for 25 races, I think that would be too much.

“If they spice it up and make a period during the season that’s perhaps more exciting than another, I think there’s a lot they can do.

“As long as they are in countries that have a good following. There’s no point in going to a country, for example Turkey, which was a beautiful place but there was no one that turned up to the race.

“But if you go to places where there’s a real great atmosphere and you can create a great event, then I think that would be awesome.”

But Ferrari’s Vettel, who is expected to be Hamilton’s closest challenger this year, argued: “I think 25 is too many, I think 20 is enough. We don’t need more, anything between 16 and 20 is the right number.

“Thinking of the efforts going in from the team’s point of view, for us it’s fairly easy, arriving more or less with hand luggage, doing the job and getting back.”

Vettel added: “I think we’re on the better side but for a lot of the team, for the staff, it’s hard work. So I think we have enough races.”