The Turkish Grand Prix has been cancelled, just 16 days after it was added to this year’s Formula 1 schedule.
The series has confirmed further changes to the 2021 F1 calendar today following the loss of its round at Istanbul Park. This will involve moving the French Grand Prix forward by a week and adding a second race in Austria.The seventh round of the world championship race was due to take place in Turkey on June 13th. However the race was put in doubt after the government of Great Britain, where the majority of F1 teams are based, added Turkey to its “red list” of countries which “should not be visited except in the most extreme circumstances” due to concerns over the Covid-19 pandemic.
Following the cancellation of Turkey’s round an extra race in Austria has been added to the schedule in order to ensure the planned 23 events take place this year. In order to accommodate that, France’s round of the world championship will be brought forward by a week.
Following that, teams will remain at the circuit for the Austrian Grand Prix, held on its original scheduled date of July 2nd-4th.
RaceFans understands Formula 1 can impose calendar changes at short notice, notwithstanding potential concerns on the part of the promoter. The full allocation of tickets for this year’s French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard – 15,000 per day – have already been sold.
“We were all looking forward to racing in Turkey but the travel restrictions in place have meant we are not able to be there in June,” he added. “Formula 1 has shown again that it is able to react quickly to developments and find solutions and we are delighted that we will have a double header in Austria meaning our season remains at 23 races.”
F1 stated the Turkish Grand Prix promoters have indicated they remain keen to hold a race this year if possible and will be considered for addition to the schedule later in the season if needed. The same applies to the Chinese Grand Prix after it was cut from the schedule earlier this year.
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Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 14:06
Silly. They’ve all been vaccinated, there’s no reason for them to fear going anywhere.
Red Andy (@red-andy)
14th May 2021, 14:09
@jblank As per the article, it is because Turkey has been added to the UK government’s red list. This means that, upon returning from Turkey to the UK, all F1 personnel would have to quarantine in an airport hotel for two weeks. This is not really feasible given the rest of the calendar…
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 14:11
Right, but they’ve all been vaccinated, there should be no cause for concern from vaccinated people for anything.
Steve (@scbriml)
14th May 2021, 14:35
The Government doesn’t care if you’ve been vaccinated or not. Two expensive weeks in a boring hotel for you!
The Champions League final was moved from Turkey for the same reason.
John H (@john-h)
14th May 2021, 14:37
You miss the point completely @jblank. You can’t override the law unless you want a criminal record.
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 14:42
No, I get it, it’s just that “the law” is a bad one. Just because government makes something the law, doesn’t mean it isn’t ridiculous. :)
Jules Winfield (@jules-winfield)
14th May 2021, 15:51
@jblank Given that vaccines aren’t 100% effective (which is a concept that you seem to have a very hard time understanding, given your other posts on this thread), the law sounds eminently sensible to me.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
14th May 2021, 17:08
@jblank Following the disaster that was staggered permissions to do things last autumn, the government appears to have decided to have most things in each nation proceed in lockstep regardless of people’s vaccination status. This is especially important since many people don’t have access to the NHS app that is the only current official method for verifying vaccination to someone who doesn’t have full right to one’s NHS medical record (border control does not have that right as it is not there to practise medicine upon arrivals or departures).
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
14th May 2021, 17:53
You do realise that being vaccinated doesn’t stop you from getting it or passing it on don’t you?
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 18:14
Yes it does. You are at a far, far, far lower chance of getting it, spreading it, and having a severe case. Its effectiveness (Pfizer and Moderna) are actually HIGHER than vaccines that we take for other illnesses, many of which I have mentioned today.
“Today marks a true turning point in the pandemic,” said a former acting director of the CDC, Dr. Richard Besser, president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “If you’re fully vaccinated, you are good to go. That’s huge.”
Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, said: “It’s exactly what we ought to be doing right now. I think it follows the best science.”
Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease physician with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said the move is “long overdue.”
“Our goal was to tame this virus, to defang and to remove its ability to threaten hospitals,” Adalja said. “I think we’ve accomplished that in the United States.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/cdc-plans-drop-mask-requirements-fully-vaccinated-people-n1267249
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 18:16
Serena Marshall: Dr. Kelley, thanks for joining us here at Track the Vax. I want to ask you, just right off the bat here, what can I do once I’ve been vaccinated? Is it safe to, you know, give hugs, shake hands, work inside an office space? What’s the risk of transmissibility after COVID vaccination?
Kelley: Well, from what we’ve seen so far, these vaccines are just as fantastic as we hoped they would be from the clinical trials with respect to the reduction in transmissions.
There have been several real-world studies, in the U.S., in Israel, in the U.K., that really show a profound reduction in asymptomatic infection and carriage after vaccination, particularly with the mRNA vaccines.
We don’t have as much data yet with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, but it also does look to significantly reduce transmission. So, I would say you can confidently go back to most activities. We still do want to be mindful in crowded spaces, in spaces with poor ventilation indoors.
We still want to be mindful of the very small possibility of transmissibility. But, in general, if you’re vaccinated, if your friends and family are vaccinated, life should look pretty much normal outside of crowded settings.
Rhys Lloyd (@justrhysism)
15th May 2021, 0:06
@jblank So, exactly what @dbradock said then. You can still catch it and pass it on. Albeit it’s a lower risk—but a risk nonetheless.
ColdFly (@)
14th May 2021, 14:10
Not based on fear I guess, but common sense (even vaccinated people have reduced risk of infection and transmission) and regulatory requirements (quarantine when back in EU/UK).
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 14:15
If that was the case, we’d all live in fear of Measles. The vaccines work, there’s no reason for anyone who has had the vaccine to worry about getting it OR passing it. It’s time to stop treating this vaccine differently than others.
RandomMallard (@)
14th May 2021, 14:21
All vaccines are different and work in different ways. The covid vaccine isn’t the only one that doesn’t have a 100% success rate (I believe malaria vaccines are quite hit and miss as well). And measles is much more stable virus: it doesn’t mutate anywhere near as often as covid or flu viruses do.
Danny
14th May 2021, 14:31
This could still happen in F1 even with a fully vaccinated team
http://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/2172195/amp
ColdFly (@)
14th May 2021, 14:32
You clearly don’t understand vaccinations; next to impossible to get 100% efficacy.
Even a MMR vaccine has an efficacy of around 90%.
If you only understand a bit of math and ‘R numbers’, you might work out that efficacies at those levels can do wonders against the spread and eventual eradication of a contagious diseases.
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 14:45
No, I understand them quite well and the conventional wisdom is that if you’ve received the vaccines, you can go back to normal life. You’re not gonna get a severe case, you’re not gonna pass it. My point, which you seem to have missed, is that these vaccines are extremely effective, but if we’re gonna treat them as not much of an impediment, then we’re making a mistake. We don’t worry about getting Measles, we don’t worry about getting anything else we’re vaccinated against, we live life to its fullest, this should be no different.
ColdFly (@)
14th May 2021, 14:54
Not sure where you live (US or from memory), but in most countries it is well communicated that the vaccine does not deliver 100% safety, and especially level of being infectious is still unknown (currently very roughly estimated at 75% after full vaccination).
I agree with you though that people should go back to living their normal life rather than living in fear. But (even with the limited knowledge we have) you can only do this when you get to vaccination levels of above 70% (which could even be higher if efficacy is not that high).
Jules Winfield (@jules-winfield)
14th May 2021, 15:53
Err, no. You don’t understand them at all.
petebaldwin (@)
14th May 2021, 16:33
@jblank – You haven’t got a clue as you’ve proven time and time again. Have you stopped believing the flu is worse than coronavirus or you sticking with that line still?
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 16:56
@petebaldwin For most people, the Flu IS worse than the coronavirus. For people under 25, the Flu is more dangerous also. Facts.
ColdFly (@)
14th May 2021, 19:06
This is by far the most ignorant and stupid comment I have read here in a long time, @jblank.
Firstly COVID-19 has a mortality rate many multiples of the flu, and in addition long term health impacts which are next to inexistent for people who contract the flu (in all ages).
Secondly, for young people it’s not the risk of their own health and mortality, but the risk of infecting directly or indirectly the more vulnerable groups who have a much higher mortality than the average.
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 19:24
You’re ignoring facts. I said, “FOR MOST PEOPLE” and that is a true statement. Most people that get it have mild to medium cold symptoms, the flu is much worse, @coldfly.
No, again, we know that for younger people schools are not vectors for spreading it. Denmark was the first nation to study and release the numbers on this, so no, again, the young are not the spreaders of it, also, as more and more are vaccinated, even that concern disappears.
Sorry, but nothing I said is ignorant, stupid, or incorrect.
ColdFly (@)
15th May 2021, 7:53
You can ‘shout’ all you want, but that doesn’t change facts; it only engrains your beliefs.
COVID-19 IFR for <40 is about 0.1%, whilst for the flu in that age group it is 0.01-0.04%.
Do note though that IFR for the flu is very difficult to measure, as we do not measure total infections; most people have none or minor symptoms and do not see a doctor (and don't mix up IFR with CFR like many do).
But this is not even the worst part (unfortunately it seems I have to repeat what I said above):
1. COVID-19 has more severe and longer health impacts for survivors (also for the younger age groups);
2. COVID-19 is more infectious when non-symptomatic than the flu. Thus many of the 99.9% young people infect others (even with all the containment measures we sit at R-numbers around 1), and (in)directly they will infect older people (e.g. at home to your parents, and then to your grand parents) who have IFRs of up to 20%.
John H (@john-h)
14th May 2021, 14:39
I look forward to your peer reviewed journal paper on the matter @jblank.
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 14:46
And I look forward to yours stating that people need to continue to live like hermits after being vaccinated. Even our feckless FDA, CDC, and administration are now saying if you’ve gotten the vaccines, you’re good to go. They finally are relinquishing their desires for control.
John H (@john-h)
14th May 2021, 15:08
No one is stating we should live like hermits @jblank, but firstly in the UK at least not everyone has been vaccinated (and certainly not with their second dose), and secondly the data suggests they are not 100% effective particularly against new variants. That combination means we shouldn’t just ‘let rip’ as you seem to be suggesting, we need to come out of this slowly and that means planning for races this summer needs to be done sensibly.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
14th May 2021, 17:12
@jblank The NHS (the UK’s primary medical organisation) disagrees with you, the FDA, CDC and US administration for excellent reason – the clinical evidence available to it does not support the conduct you prefer. Its information indicates precautions should continue until actual herd immunity is achieved.
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 17:18
We have all longed for this moment,” Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the C.D.C. director, said at a White House news conference on Thursday. “If you are fully vaccinated, you can start doing the things that you had stopped doing because of the pandemic.”
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 17:20
Today marks a true turning point in the pandemic,” said a former acting director of the CDC, Dr. Richard Besser, president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “If you’re fully vaccinated, you are good to go. That’s huge.”
RandomMallard (@)
14th May 2021, 14:11
No, they haven’t. Most of the drivers have immunity (either naturally or by vaccination) as do some of the teams, but F1 as a whole decided against taking Bahrain’s offer of vaccines for all personnel as they felt they could be better used in the more at-risk parts of the population.
Furthermore, while vaccines no doubt reduce the significantly severity of the illness, or eliminate it entirely, the data on whether they prevent transmission is not fully clear yet. While it is certainly looking positive, I completely understand why they have decided it isn’t worth the risk, especially with the threat of variants around as well.
John H (@john-h)
14th May 2021, 14:39
I did not know that @randommallard, that’s very good of them.
RandomMallard (@)
14th May 2021, 14:43
I’m sure I read it on this site but can’t find the article. It definitely happened though:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/56233837
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/62297/f1-declines-bahrain-offer-of-covid-vaccination/
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
14th May 2021, 17:13
@randommallard A quarter of people in Brazil who had been infected previously by COVID were infected again when the P1 variant arrived. Recovering from COVID only provides limited protection, and the limits of that protection (which are below the limits of vaccination) are still being studied.
RandomMallard (@)
14th May 2021, 17:18
Yeah sorry I should have been more clear about this @alianora-la-canta. I think I did put in another of my comments that the risk if variants is another reason they should still be careful, but had forgotten about it at the time of my original post. Plenty of previously infected people can still get covid again, especially with the rise of variants
Tristan (@skipgamer)
14th May 2021, 14:13
Where’s this from? I don’t think they have been.
Besides, even if the paddock has been vaccinated, there is support staff to consider which is a chance for community transmission wherever they go.
jj
14th May 2021, 14:16
Most teams went against F1 and did end up taking the offer. I believe it was only Williams who didn’t.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
14th May 2021, 17:14
No, only the non-UK teams did so en bloc. In other words, three of them.
A scattering of individuals from the other teams took up Bahrain’s offer, but I’ve seen nothing to suggest large numbers of them did so.
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 14:16
It was my understanding that it was said before Spring Testing, drivers and personnel that wanted the vaccine had all received it.
RandomMallard (@)
14th May 2021, 14:22
This is the important bit. Not all of them did, only those who wanted it. Others decided that they were willing to let a vaccine dose or two that would have been used for them go to someone who needed it more.
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 14:38
Ok well they can mask up, etc. Masks work, right?
John H (@john-h)
14th May 2021, 14:41
jblank, it’s time to set sail to the end of the flat Earth.
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 14:47
@john-h No, poor analogy, as I believe and trust the science. It’s the people that don’t trust vaccines or believe they aren’t effective, that are the flat-Earthers. You have it backwards, bucko.
John H (@john-h)
14th May 2021, 14:59
I trust vaccines @jblank, but I also know that they are not 100% effective and it’s still too early to say how they affect transmission. It’s not a black and white issue as you seem to be suggesting and however much we would like to believe it (having had the vaccine myself I would love to)… the world doesn’t work like that, bucko.
Jules Winfield (@jules-winfield)
14th May 2021, 15:54
Perhaps, but you don’t understand it. How many times do people have to tell you that there is still a risk because vaccines aren’t 100% effective?
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 17:00
@jules-winfield And how many times must I mention that the same applies to everything else we’re vaccinated for. Do you live in constant fear of Measles? Rubella? Mumps? No, you live your life, we all do. Why is this any different? The odds are infinitesimally small that a vaccinated person with either of the two major vaccines is going to catch and die from this, with the J&J vaccine, it’s more likely you catch it, but the symptoms are much less severe and not lethal. There isn’t a 100% chance I get hit by an airplane engine falling out of the sky, but I’m not armor plating my roof.
Danny Downs
14th May 2021, 14:33
The New York Yankees are fully vaccinated yet 8 players still contracted covid.
http://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/2172195/amp
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 14:40
Which is only 3/5 effective, but even then, they’ll only have cold like symptoms as the vaccine dramatically lessens the severity of the virus. For those of us that have had Moderna or Pfizer, very different, nothing to worry about, life is normal.
RandomMallard (@)
14th May 2021, 14:44
But for the people who haven’t had a vaccine, it can still be deadly.
Rashmil Rajagopalan
14th May 2021, 15:32
Vaccination doesn’t guarantee you can’t be a carrier of the virus. While the bubble system is in place, a red list is a red list. Protocols need to be followed accordingly.
ian dearing
14th May 2021, 16:19
Have they all been vaccinated? I thought a number of them, Seb for example, have refused offers and insisted they will wait their turn.
RandomMallard (@)
14th May 2021, 14:07
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m kind of disappointed we aren’t getting 2 races at Paul Ricard. I think it would have been cool to experiment with different track layout like they did at Bahrain last year. There must be a better layout than what we have?
zomtec (@zomtec)
14th May 2021, 14:14
My thoughts, exactly. Leave out first chicane, go full mistral and let’s see.
davidhunter13 (@davidhunter13)
14th May 2021, 16:30
The worst circuit on the calendar for me as a viewer. The track is beyond soulless unless you like coloured lines etched around every metre of the track and a pretty flat “I can’t remember the layout” style circuit.
RandomMallard (@)
14th May 2021, 16:50
Oh yeah I completely agree that the current layout is hopeless. I just kinda wish we could have a second race there to see if there was a better layout, whether that is without the chicane like @zomtec suggests, or using a different version of the chicane or final sector. I refuse to believe that out of the 129 different layouts they can have that the F1 layout is the best
Jere (@jerejj)
15th May 2021, 14:16
@randommallard I agree 100%.
Patrick (@paeschli)
14th May 2021, 14:08
Why not a German GP instead?
I love the Austrian track, but a double header just isn’t that interesting if the lay-out is the same.
Facepalmer
14th May 2021, 14:18
Sure, 2 absolutely different races there (in Austria) last year didn’t happen.
*facepalm*
Ryan (@giraffeman92)
14th May 2021, 14:24
Why the facepalm not like he said that a second race didn’t happen last year. The second race was also boring showing how it is not the most interesting circut to hold a second race on.
Steve (@scbriml)
14th May 2021, 14:27
Yep. Austria rarely fails to produce an interesting race. Red Bull will be desperate for a good showing.
Jack Jeffreys (@jack1501)
14th May 2021, 14:09
Whats the point of a 2nd race in austria just to keep the calendar at an (excessive) 23 races. Why not move one of the later races (zandvoort the obvious one) into the canada/turkey slot and make the 2nd half of the season a little less congested. 22 races would be enough, unless they are worried about further cancellations down the road…
Jere (@jerejj)
15th May 2021, 14:16
@jack1501 Why should Zandvoort specifically move?
Jack Jeffreys (@jack1501)
15th May 2021, 15:48
Just seems a good idea to remove the spa/zandvoort/monza triple header. I remember back in 2018 when everyone in F1 hated the triple header and it was a never again thing. Now they seem to be happening every week!
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
14th May 2021, 14:12
I seem to be in the same boat as the others, in saying that two grand prixs on the same circuit back to back, isn’t exactly exciting. I almost feel we’d be better off just letting everyone have the week off.
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 14:13
23 races isn’t excessive, there could be 40 races, I love the sport, I want more of it. What I don’t want are duplicated races, so Germany would have made sense.
Facepalmer
14th May 2021, 14:20
*facepalm*
23 is already too much. F1 should not become football on wheels with races every several days.
You probably don’t think about people and the constant travel takes on them and their families.
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 14:21
I love the sport, if you disagree with me, fine, no big deal.
StefMeister (@stefmeister)
14th May 2021, 15:05
@jblank I love the sport as well, Have done since I discovered it in 1989 & haven’t missed a race live since the start of 1995 but I think 20+ races is too many.
I just think that the more races you add the less special each one starts to feel, The higher chances of clashes with other categories which makes watching everything you enjoy tricker on top of less free weekends to get other things done or spend time with family/friends. And the pushing of race start times an hour later really hasn’t helped the feeling that the entire weekend is now taken up by F1 leaving even less free time in the afternoon to get other things done.
For me 17/18 races a season is the perfect number, 19/20 is the most I would have & anything else for me just starts to feel like too much. As it’s gone above 20 I’ve started to feel a bit disinterested & less engaged over the final couple races as I just start to feel a bit burnt out by the end for lack of a better phrase.
Mashiat (@mashiat)
14th May 2021, 21:44
@stefmeister For me personally, we were having a race almost every week in the 2nd half of 2020, and I loved it. No race felt less special just because there was a race the week before and the week after.
StefMeister (@stefmeister)
15th May 2021, 0:27
@mashiat Last year was a special case though in that we didn’t get any racing at all the first half of the year so by the time we managed to get the season started I think we were all extra ready to get going with the 6-7 month gap since Abu Dhabi 2019. Also the 2020 season featured 17 races which as I say is about what I consider to be the perfect number.
For me it’s also not simply the feeling that the more races you have the less like a special event each one feels. It’s also more that i’m not just a fan of F1, I’m a fan of the sport in general & enjoy watching races from other categories & as the F1 calender has expanded & clashes become less avoidable which makes it harder to watch everything I used to enjoy watching.
And there are other negatives for me but they are simply more personal things where having less free weekends can be a bit of a pain sometimes.
Roger Ayles (@roger-ayles)
15th May 2021, 0:40
You know @stefmeister I can’t remember who it was now but I remember the promoter of another category referencing that 2-3 years ago.
He spoke about how they traditionally always tried to run races on non-F1 weekends as that drew them a larger audience but that as the F1 calendar had expanded it was harder to avoid clashes which had become a bit of a problem in terms of how many less people would watch when they were running opposite an F1 race.
Was it the BTCC maybe, Or maybe even MotoGp? I honestly can’t remember now but I just remember them talking about how it had become a problem that would only get worse if F1 went ahead with the 25 race plan that was been discussed at that point.
ColdFly (@)
14th May 2021, 14:14
Even though Mercedes won both races last year; it is still a relative fast track for RBR (where they won the previous 2 years).
Smart way to keep the title fights open.
Or equally smart investment by circuit owner to achieve this.
Tristan (@skipgamer)
14th May 2021, 14:19
Yeah I was thinking that too, hopefully it works into Red Bulls hands.
Facepalmer
14th May 2021, 14:21
Hopefully it works into Mercedes hands.
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 14:48
Everything always does, unfortunately.
Joe Pineapples
14th May 2021, 15:26
Hopefully it just ‘works’.
Tristan (@skipgamer)
14th May 2021, 14:18
Cool news, people need to have an opinion about everything 🤦♂️ Too many races, not enough races, too boring at the same tracks, get a grip guys. It is just some news.
Facepalmer
14th May 2021, 14:23
Want to be a part of an opinion-less herd, enjoy your choice.
Considering you have more than 1 comment even in this thread, looks like you also have an opinion though…
Adrian Hancox (@ahxshades)
14th May 2021, 16:23
Absolutely right @skipgamer – the serial whiners are out in force
Srdjan Mandic (@srga91)
14th May 2021, 14:28
I feared this was about to happen. Too bad, I love Istanbul Park, it’s an amazing circuit. But as an Austrian, I am delighted to hear this news.
This could also be an opportunity to test the sprint qualifying race before Silverstone, as the RB Ring usually offers good racing.
Considering our government recently approved of increasing the maximum number of spectators for outdoor events to 6,000 people, from July onwards, there might be a chance I may visit the GP for the first time.
Imre (@f1mre)
14th May 2021, 14:43
Great idea! They definitely should do a Sprint Quali in one of the Austrian races.
Normal first weekend, then no Friday sessions and Sprint Quali on Saturday after a single 60 minute practice session deciding the grid for the Sprint Quali.
Le Jimster (@lejimster82)
14th May 2021, 15:09
That would be a good idea to differentiate the races and you get a good comparison of the formats.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
14th May 2021, 14:42
I guess Styrian GP is back.
Imre (@f1mre)
14th May 2021, 14:47
What’s the point? There are many European Grade 1 tracks. Or they could have had two GPs in France with vastly different track configurations. That would have made more sense than this.
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 14:49
I agree.
Srdjan Mandic (@srga91)
14th May 2021, 15:34
@f1mre
It has mainly to do with logistics. It reduces the distance teams have to cover with their trucks across Europe, as this segment of the calendar has now become a triple header. Arriving earlier at Austria means the teams can also ship some stuff earlier to the next round at Silverstone.
Had they instead given the additional spot in the calendar to i.e. Mugello or Nürburgring, it would have caused unnecessary stress for the teams, as they would have had to pack up at Paul Ricard on Sunday, get to the next destination with their trucks by Wednesday, the same procedure again for the next week to arrive on time at the RB Ring. There’s no need for that. Better to stay in Austria for two weeks.
I also doubt they could find a version of Paul Ricard that isn’t a disaster for racing.
Imre (@f1mre)
14th May 2021, 16:08
Why have they chosen Turkey in the first place, then?
Srdjan Mandic (@srga91)
14th May 2021, 18:14
Because of its relative proximity to Azerbaijan. It would’ve been a double-header with Baku, which gave them two weeks time until the next race at Paul Ricard.
Jere (@jerejj)
15th May 2021, 14:18
@srga91 The same outcome logistically as if F1 raced at Circuit Paul Ricard on two consecutive weekends followed by a single Austria race, no difference in this regard.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
14th May 2021, 17:15
@f1mre I think the amount of money Liberty wanted for a race was a factor.
Le Jimster (@lejimster82)
14th May 2021, 15:08
It’s a shame we won’t be going to Canada and now Turkey, I really enjoy both tracks. I actually don’t mind Austria either, but it’s a shame we’ve had to revert to a double header and not gone to Hockenheim for example.
Cucamest (@kevincucamest)
14th May 2021, 15:13
Will Pirelli be bringing two different compounds for the two races again? They did last year, and I feel like it could be an easy way to make the races different…
skydiverian (@skydiverian)
14th May 2021, 16:10
That was Silverstone, not Austria. Austria last year ran with the same tyres for both races.
Agree with the suggestion above that if you want to mix it up, run the sprint race at one of the events – I’m not fond of the idea, especially after reading that it’s specifically to target a younger audience, but if you’re going to do it, use one part of a double header to try it out.
Roth Man (@rdotquestionmark)
14th May 2021, 15:14
Typical quantity over quality Liberty Media. Heaven forbid they have one less race in a season. It was a good compromise under Covid restrictions last season but nobody wants a double header at the same circuit.
G (@unklegsif)
14th May 2021, 16:14
Is someone going to point out to our friend @jblank here, that the risk of returning from one of these red list zones isn’t to the vaccinated person, its to the rest of the unvaccinated population around them, and the ensuing wave of new cases and potential new strains, overwhelming the health service again?
Jeez, the fact that this has to be pointed out to some people…..
G
Apologies if this has already been commented ;)
anon
14th May 2021, 17:49
@unklegsif it has been, but it also is not worth trying – that poster has made it clear that they have no intention of changing their mind and will not listen to you, because they will only listen to and follow the commands of their party leader.
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
14th May 2021, 18:07
Except there is NO evidence that people that have been vaccinated are spreading the virus to others. As the CDC said yesterday, if you’ve been vaccinated, you’re free to go back to doing everything you were doing before the pandemic.
You people are just sheep. Woolrich could outfit the nation of Lichtenstein with the wool they could get off the lot of you.
The science is clear on this, but if you all want to continue to propagate FUD and live in perpetual fear of this, especially post-vaccination, then just keep wearing a mask and duct tape yourselves in your homes.
Green Flag (@greenflag)
14th May 2021, 21:27
Unmasking is only viable when at least 75% of the population is fully vaccinated. Within 6 weeks the CDC will require masks indoors again, because this foolish early unmasking will cause the virus to surge.
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
15th May 2021, 18:07
Oh bull it will not. If you fear mongers wanna wear a mask in perpetuity, do it. Live in fear forever, do your thing, as a libertarian I encourage you to live you life as you see fit. The rest of us however will live OUR lives, vaccinated, and go on not worrying about this.
Dave
14th May 2021, 17:19
Trash decision. Trash, trash, trash. And I can hear Germany being enraged from many miles away.
Dave
14th May 2021, 18:02
Wait a minute…I think we know why Turkey is left out.
The 2020 Turkish GP qualifying restart was why! Turkey can finally relax over this…
Mirko710
14th May 2021, 18:29
Is Germany on the red list? Or Merkel didn’t comment on Assange situation…
:p
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
16th May 2021, 8:09
No, Germany is not on the red list. It’s on the yellow list along with most of the EU.
Roger Ayles (@roger-ayles)
15th May 2021, 0:42
Too many races already so losing one wouldn’t have been a problem.
But 2 races on the same circuit again is a disappointing decision given how they could have run other layouts at paul ricard or just picked another suitable circuit like Mugello or something.
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
15th May 2021, 6:37
Yeah I’d hoped for a few cancellations so I didn’t have to make the decisions on which ones I was going to miss watching this year. 23 is way too many.
Oh well, at least one of these two is on my list to strike out.