Formula One’s plans for its calendar change more often than the lead on track, with some venues in danger of being dropped, others ready to fill the openings, and some threatening their own slot due to financial drama. The latest change, reports say, is that F1 will drop two current tracks for new ones next year.
Contrary to the calendar-expansion ideas we’ve previously heard from current F1 owner Liberty Media, F1 actually doesn’t want to change the number of races on next year’s calendar, as Motorsport.com reports. That’s 21 races, for those counting. The number of races for 2020 isn’t final, but with at least two races planned to join, keeping the total figure at 21 would mean that two would have to go.
That is, at least, what was hinted at by F1 CEO and elaborate mustache enthusiast Chase Carey duringa recent call with financial analysts, Motorsport.com reports. With track construction already claimed to be underway for a street race in Vietnam’s capital city of Hanoi and tentative plans to return to Circuit Zandvoortin the Netherlands, the schedule will apparently get some cuts elsewhere.
From Motorsport.com, which had hints on which races may stay on the 2020 calendar and which may go:
Monza has already revealed that it is close to extending its contract, which leaves Silverstone, Hockenheim, Mexico and Barcelona, which is widely expected to be dropped.
“We’re in the process of finalising our 2020 race calendar,” Carey said in a call with financial analysts. “We have agreements in principle on two renewals, and are actively engaged on three other renewals. […]”
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Carey said the math means F1 can’t “renew all [of its] current races” next year, but noted the idea is to just start adding races after 2020. We’ve been hearing that plan a while, and it’s one that not every driver seems thrilled about.
Of course, in F1, plans are just that—plans. We don’t believe anything until everyone is at the race track watching a grand prix.
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