Rumor: Leaked 2021 F1 calendar, Saudi Arabia in play (4th Update)
This rumor is upgraded to ‘fact’ with today’s FIA announcement of the 2021 F1 calendar.
November 9, 2020
The 2021 F1 calendar will be released Tuesday and it has been revised from the original rumor. Here is the expected provisional calendar:
21 March: Australia (Melbourne)
28 March: Bahrain (Sakhir)
11 April: China (Shanghai)
25 April: TBC (Imola, Turkey or Portugal)
9 May: Spain (Barcelona)
23 May: Monaco
6 June: Azerbaijan (Baku)
13 June: Canada (Montreal)
27 June: France (Le Castellet)
4 July: Austria (Spielberg)
18 July: Britain (Silverstone)
1 August: Hungary (Hungaroring)
29 August: Belgium (Spa)
5 September: Netherlands (Zandvoort)
12 September: Italy (Monza)
26 September: Russia (Sochi)
3 October: Singapore (Marina Bay)
10 October: Japan (Suzuka)
24 October: USA (Austin)
31 October: Mexico (Mexico City)
14 November: Brazil (Sao Paulo or Rio) *
28 November: Saudi Arabia (Jeddah)
5 December: Abu Dhabi (Yas Marina)
* = provisional pending promoter agreement
October 28, 2020
(GMM) There could be as many as an unprecedented 23 races next year, as reports about the 2021 calendar emerge following a key meeting.
All the sport’s stakeholders, including FIA president Jean Todt and even Chase Carey’s 2021 successor Stefano Domenicali, got together for a six-hour meeting early this week in Portimao.
Afterwards, RTL said Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko had said a 22-race calendar is planned for next season, with the high probability that Saudi Arabia will also be added to that schedule.
The 2021 season is set to start in Australia and feature two sets of controversial ‘triple headers’, while some races might even feature an Imola-style two-day format.
Some are already suggesting a ‘normal’ calendar is unrealistic amid the ongoing corona crisis, but one team boss is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport as saying: “One more season like this, and we’ll all be broke.”
Also expected to be on next year’s calendar is Barcelona, even though contract negotiations are yet to be concluded.
“We have started, and we hope that they can be completed very soon,” the Circuit de Catalunya’s new boss Ramon Tremosa is quoted by Spanish media.
October 21, 2020
(GMM) Australian GP boss Andrew Westacott has hit back at suggestions that Melbourne will not kick off the 2021 season.
A leaked 2021 calendar lists Bahrain as the new opening race on next year’s schedule, presumably because Melbourne remains in a strict covid-19 lockdown with major sporting events not taking place.
“The Australian Grand Prix Corporation is in regular dialogue with Formula 1 on the 2021 provisional calendar, which will be published in the coming weeks,” Westacott told Nine’s Wide World of Sports.
“Melbourne will again host the F1 season opener in the traditional March time slot, which will form a significant part of the recovery of the major sports and events industry in Victoria,” he added.
Victoria has been the Australian state hit the hardest by coronavirus, but on Wednesday only three new cases were reported, with zero new deaths.
October 19, 2020
A ‘leaked’ provisional Formula 1 calendar for 2021 has the season starting in Bahrain and comprising a record 22 races, including a new grand prix in Saudi Arabia.
Spanish motoring website Soymotor.com claims the Australian Grand Prix, which is the usual curtain-raiser to the campaign, will be moved to October, following on from the race in Japan and preceding those in the United States and Mexico.
‘Rumored’ draft F1 calendar for 2021
March 14 – Bahrain
March 28 – Vietnam
April 11 – China
April 25 – Azerbaijan
May 2 – Netherlands
May 9 – Spain
May 23 – Monaco
June 6 – Canada
June 20 – Austria
June 27 – France
July 11 – Britain
July 25 – Hungary
August 29 – Belgium
September 5 – Italy
September 19 – Russia
September 26 – Singapore
October 10 – Japan
October 24 – Australia
November 7 – United States
November 14 – Mexico
November 28 – Saudi Arabia
December 5 – Abu Dhabi