FIA president Jean Todt expects more details on the final 2020 F1 calendar soon, and that it will feature “significantly more” than the eight races confirmed so far.
Speaking to media at the Red Bull Ring last weekend, Todt said F1 chairman and CEO Chase Carey is “working day and night to present a proper calendar.”Last weekend Formula 1 held its first of the eight races it has planned for its reorganised championship following the pandemic. The original schedule featured a record 22 rounds.
“More detail will be given soon because everybody needs to have more accurate detail about what will be the calendar,” said Todt.
“In certain countries the situation is obviously very complex. So they need to have a lot of creativity to see also what are the possible options which were not planned and to optimise them in order to be able to present the calendar.”
Todt is monitoring the pandemic closely and receives daily briefings on the number of Covid-19 fatalities worldwide, and paying attention to those which were scheduled to hold F1 races.
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“Some countries started with high figures which dropped. Some others which came up like Brazil for example, I’m mentioning that because it’s a grand prix which is a which was planned there.
“In Vietnam there has been about 350 cases, not one fatality. Austria I mean has been quite a safe country which is not the case of the US, Italy, Spain, France, the UK. So it’s fascinating to see how things are working. Saying that, we are not sure about the accuracy of those figures.”
He expects the final F1 schedule will feature “less than 22 races, but would be significantly more than the eight races which have been planned so far.”
As reported previously, some of those races could take place at venues which were not originally part of the championship’s calendar, such as Mugello and Imola. Todt said he would welcome new events at such tracks which have the necessary FIA grade one certification to hold grands prix.
“Honestly I would love to,” he said. “In each difficulty there is opportunity. So I think to give opportunity to a circuit like Mugello, which is a grade one circuit, to Imola, which is a grade one circuit, is great.”
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2020 F1 season
- Pictures: Wrecked chassis from Grosjean’s Bahrain fireball crash to go on display
- Bottas vs Rosberg: Hamilton’s Mercedes team mates compared after 78 races each
- F1 revenues fell by $877 million in Covid-struck 2020 season
- Hamilton and Mercedes finally announce new deal for 2021 season
- F1 audience figures “strong” in 2020 despite dip in television viewers
ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
8th July 2020, 7:32
Liberty should just declares F1 2020 fiscal year ended in March 2021. If we could have Styrian GP, why not 2020 race in February 2021?
Jere (@jerejj)
8th July 2020, 7:40
But how much is ‘significantly’ more than eight isn’t clear? For Todt, it might be more than it truly is by its definition. Nevertheless, irrespective of specific numbers, Imola is less likely out of the non-original 2020 circuits. Mugello and Algarve have seemed to be the most likely ones to join for this year. The same as before, I don’t expect any of the US-Mexico-Brazil trio to happen this year. Spain got rescheduled as is Bahrain most likely also going to, but China, Vietnam, and Canada are less clear.
Phil Norman (@phil-f1-21)
8th July 2020, 8:40
I think they will definitely want to get up to. 15 which as now all know is the minimum for the TV deal rules. Then who knows. I doubt there will be more than 17.
Phil Norman (@phil-f1-21)
8th July 2020, 8:41
we now all know.
Luscious Azure (@lusciousazure)
8th July 2020, 8:58
I’m predicting 17.
black (@black)
8th July 2020, 11:41
Well along with the first 8, there are also 6 “about certain” races to be announced (Mugello, Sochi (or Hockenheim as a replacement), Algarve, Bahrain (x2), Abu Dhabi). That brings the number up to 14. All we need is to get just one of the (Canada, USA, Mexico, China, Vietnam, Imola) to happen and teams and Liberty are going to get paid. Anything more is just bonus.
PS: i actually wouldn’t mind to have just 15, it would make this “70th anniversary championship” super retro and chaotic and definately one we’ll remember many years in the future.