Formula 1 eyes two new races for 2021
F1 News
- GPblog.com
The F1 calendar for 2020 has been completely thrown upside down by the corona crisis and it remains to be seen how many races will actually be held. For 2021 Chase Carey hopes that everything will go according to plan again, although some adjustments to the original calendar of 2020 are still possible.
For 2021 only seventeen Grands Prixs currently have a contract with Formula 1 to organise a Grand Prix. Five promoters (China, Spain, Monaco, Austria and Brazil) are still negotiating for this. In a recent phone conversation with investor on Wall Street Carey says the following about this:
"We expect 2021 to look like the 2021 we planned back in January. Ultimately we have renewals to put in place and some ongoing discussions with a couple of potential new races that we think would be a positive enhancement to the business for fans and shareholders.
Spain and Brazil at risk?
He emphasizes that the calendar is intended to have 22 races, even if the negotiations with some of these Grands Prix do not succeed. Therefore, they are also in serious negotiation with two possible new races. Because the Miami Grand Prix will almost certainly be postponed to 2022, it is not entirely clear which possible races Carey means.
Of the five races that have not yet prolonged their contract, Austria and Monaco will almost certainly be prolonged, while Spain and Brazil are the biggest cases of doubt. Both races have been on the nomination to be replaced for some time now. The Spanish Grand Prix for 2021 only got its finances ready at the last minute.