Formula 1 has a new calendar: the 2020 season, delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, will start on July 5 in Spielberg (Austria) and the first eight races will take place in Europe between July and September, initially in camera.
A second GP will follow on the Red Bull Ring at Spielberg on July 12, before Hungary (on the Hungaroring in Budapest) on July 19, Great Britain (at Silverstone) on August 2 and 9, Spain (on the circuit from Barcelona-Catalonia to Montmelo) on August 16, Belgium (at Spa-Francorchamps) on August 30 and Italy (in Monza) on September 6.
The Federation hopes a season with 15 to 18 races
According to the press release published by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and the promoter of F1 Formula 1, the complete calendar will be finalized in the coming weeks, "with the hope of having a total of 15 to 18 races by the end of the season in December ”, thanks to“ the current fluidity of the situation linked to Covid-19 at the international level ”.
According to F1 regulatory bodies, health precautionary measures will be observed. A plan to control the spread of the new coronavirus will be put in place. The first competitions of the season will be held behind closed doors.
Economic shortfalls
At the end of April, the GPs of the Netherlands, Australia, France and Monaco were canceled in extremis after the discovery of a case within the McLaren team (Australian GP). Following long procrastination about a possible resumption, the summer break - traditionally observed by the stables in August - had been brought forward to the peak months of the epidemic, precisely in order to be able to compete in certain races in August.
As the automotive sector tries to recover after these two months of stoppage and the consequent economic shortfalls, F1 is slowly getting back on track. Since Monday, it is its main actors who are talking about them, by multiplying the reactions of support for the exit on the social networks of the six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton after the death of the African-American George Floyd on May 25.
The eight scheduled Grands Prix
3-5 July: Austrian Grand Prix (Spielberg) 10-12 July: Styrian Grand Prix (Spielberg) 17-19 July: Hungarian Grand Prix (Budapest) 31 July-2 August: Great Britain Prize ( Silverstone) August 7-9: Grand Prix for the 70th anniversary of F1 (Silverstone) August 14-16: Spanish Grand Prix (Barcelona) August 28-30: Belgian Grand Prix (Spa-Francorchamps) September 4-6 : Italian Grand Prix (Monza)
