2020 F1 SEASON EXPANDS TO 17 RACES

2020 F1 season expands to 17 races – Photo: LAT

Four more races have been confirmed on the 2020 Formula 1 schedule, bringing the season total to 17 events.

By DAN KNUTSON

The original 22-race 2020 season, which was supposed to get underway with the Australian Grand Prix on 15 March, eventually started in Austria on 5 July.

The recent addition of four more races means that the magic number of 15 has been reached. Fifteen is the minimum number of grands prix in Formula 1’s lucrative contracts with television networks around the world.

Turkey returns for the first time since 2010. Bahrain will host two races, possibly on different circuit layouts, and then the season will end with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on 13 December.

“We can confirm that a number of races in the revised 2020 season will be open to a limited number of fans, including hospitality, and we are working with each promoter to finalise the details,” Formula 1 said in a statement. “While we want to see as many fans as possible return as soon as it is safe to do so, our priority remains the safety of the Formula 1 community and the communities we visit, and we review fan access on this basis.

“Due to the ongoing fluidity of the COVID-19 pandemic we continue to maintain close dialogue with all promoters and local authorities to ensure we operate in the safest way possible and monitor each national situation closely – including travel restrictions and local health procedures.”

The Chinese Grand Prix will not be held this year, and Formula 1 made no mention of the fate of the inaugural Vietnamese Grand Prix.

For the first time ever since the Formula 1 World Championship was founded in 1950 there will not be at least one race staged in the Americas.

“We are proud to announce that Turkey, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi will be part of our 2020 season. Chase Carey, the chairman and CEO of Formula 1, said. “This year has presented Formula 1 and the world with an unprecedented challenge and we want to pay tribute to everyone across Formula 1, the FIA, the teams, and our partners who have made this possible.

“While we are all disappointed that we have not been able to return to some of our planned races this year we are confident our season has started well and will continue to deliver plenty of excitement with traditional, as well as new, races that will entertain all our fans.”

Revised 2020 F1 calendar:

5 July – Austrian Grand Prix, Red Bull Ring
12 July – Styrian Grand Prix, Red Bull Ring
19 July – Hungarian Grand Prix, Hungaroring
2 August – British Grand Prix, Silverstone
9 August – 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, Silverstone
16 August – Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona
30 August – Belgian Grand Prix, Spa-Francorchamps
6 September – Italian Grand Prix, Monza
13 September – Tuscan Grand Prix, Mugello
27 September – Russian Grand Prix, Sochi
11 October – Eifel Grand Prix, Nürburgring
25 October – Portuguese Grand Prix, Algarve
1 November – Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, Imola
15 November – Turkish Grand Prix, Istanbul Park
29 November – Bahrain Grand Prix, Bahrain International Circuit
6 December – Sakhir Grand Prix, Bahrain International Circuit
13 December – Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina Circuit

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