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Formula 1’s final 2020 calendar has been set, with Turkey’s Istanbul circuit rejoining the schedule for the first time in nine years and Bahrain hosting two races.
Championship bosses have been in extensive negotiations for months trying to piece a calendar together after the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which put the 2020 season on hiatus for four months and wiped out several events.
The F1 season finally began in Austria at the start of July, triggering an intense European schedule as organisers minimised the amount of travel required to rack up multiple races – aided by holding two races at both the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone.
The third of three triple-headers at the start of the season begins this week at Spa and incorporates Mugello’s F1 debut as the first of some unusual additions to the revised calendar.
Russia’s Sochi race is one of the few now-traditional second-half races to remain, before another trio of one-off events at Imola, Algarve and the Nurburgring.
F1 had to cancel its Americas leg but hoped to retain an Asian portion of some kind having lost its Singapore and Japanese races.
But China has now been formally cancelled and while F1 has not communicated the fate of its Vietnam race, saying an update will be issued shortly, as this is the completed 2020 calendar Hanoi’s inaugural race will not happen until next year.
Turkey’s return helps fill the gap in the schedule in November, before the expected double-header in Bahrain – with one race potentially utilising a different layout and the second using the Sakhir Grand Prix name – and the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Istanbul’s place on the calendar is subject to the circuit receiving FIA Grade 1 homologation as it has not had a licence for some time.
However, circuit bosses insist the track has been maintained to a high level since Intercity took it over in 2013, even though it has only hosted national events in recent years.
Vural Ak, chairman of the Intercity board, said “meticulous care” had been taken of the venue – with Intercity apparently taking on the financial obligations of holding the race rather than the Turkish government.
“One of the key factors that led the management of Formula 1 to include Istanbul in its 2020 schedule was the fact that, throughout the past nine years, even when races were not taking place, we always kept the track active and prepared,” said Ak.
“As if races could resume at any moment.”
The lack of traditional flyaways means F1’s 17-race calendar will comprise only Eurasian countries.
F1 has also stated that “a number of races” will be open to a limited number of fans. Sochi and Algarve have so far been targeted as allowing spectators.
The championship has also reiterated that while this calendar has been confirmed, the fluidity of the pandemic means it will “monitor each national situation closely – including travel restrictions and local health procedures”.
F1 had initially planned 2020 to be a record 22-race season, but instead it features the lowest number of races since 2009.
With only 14 different venues, this season is also the least varied since the 1980 season.
F1 CEO Chase Carey 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.”
COMPLETE 2020 F1 CALENDAR
Austrian GP July 5
Styrian GP July 12
Hungarian GP July 19
British GP August 2
70th Anniversary GP August 9
Spanish GP August 16
Belgian GP August 30
Italian GP September 6
Tuscan GP (Mugello) September 13
Russian GP September 27
Eifel GP (Nurburgring) October 11
Portugal GP (Algarve) October 25
Emilia Romagna GP (Imola) November 1
Turkish GP (Istanbul) November 15
Bahrain GP November 29
Sakhir GP December 6
Abu Dhabi GP December 13
