Three existing F1 races have to drop in 2020 (2nd Update)

Hockenheim

UPDATE (GMM) Hockenheim is still fighting to save the 2020 German grand prix.

It is believed Hockenheim and Barcelona are the existing circuits most likely to be axed in order to make way for the new races in Vietnam and Zandvoort.

"It would be sad to see it go but at the end of the day it's commercial aspects," said Nico Hulkenberg when asked about Hockenheim's dubious future.

However, there could be hope.

Although F1 CEO Chase Carey wants to keep the 2020 calendar at 21 races, he also hinted that the sport could add "a few more races" in the future.

Hockenheim spokesman Jorn Teske said: "We were neither mentioned nor excluded from the possible expansion of the calendar by one or two races.

"Of course, if it means the chances of keeping a German GP increases, we would of course welcome that," he told Kolner Express newspaper.

As for how the current negotiations with Liberty Media are going, Teske added: "The talks are not complete yet. We continue to fight for Formula 1 at the Hockenheimring."

Mexico is likely gone for 2020. Which other race will drop?

06/21/19 (GMM) As Liberty Media puts together the 2020 calendar, strong doubts about the fate of three existing races remain.

The F1 owner has inked new deals with Zandvoort and Vietnam, with chief executive Chase Carey saying the calendar will remain static at 21 races by dropping two current grands prix.

The most endangered are Barcelona and Hockenheim.

"Am I worried? Yes, I'm worried because I don't like losing my home grand prix," said Spaniard Carlos Sainz Jr. in Paul Ricard.

And German driver Nico Hulkenberg said of Hockenheim: "It would be sad to see it go but like Carlos said, it's not down to us."

Also in serious doubt is Sergio Perez's home race, in Mexico City.

"I am trying to support the organizers but I haven't heard anything," the Racing Point driver said.

"Negotiations continue and (promoter) Alejandro Soberon and his team are doing everything possible to keep the race, but not everything depends on him.

"I hope for the best. I think we will find out some news in the near future," added Perez.

Also without firm contracts for 2020 are Silverstone and Monza, although it is believed those races are basically safe.

06/05/19 (GMM) Chase Carey says two current races will not appear on the 2020 calendar.

The F1 CEO has confirmed deals with two new hosts: Vietnam and Zandvoort. But Carey says he does not want to expand the schedule beyond 21 races.

"I think it's important to have something new in our calendar, but we do not want to mess things up every year," he told La Presse.

"We are proud to have lasting relationships with many promoters and the goal is to build long-term partnerships.

"As for the number of grands prix, we will take our time before increasing that. If we have two new events next season, the number of the events will remain stable."

Of the races on the 2019 calendar, there is doubt about the future of several, including Barcelona, Silverstone, Hockenheim, Monza and Mexico.

Barcelona has a deal until 2021, so not them

Also up in the air are new agreements with the teams beyond the 2020 season, including the technical and sporting regulations for 2021.

"We are making progress in the negotiations," Carey reports.

"It is still only for 2021 and so there is no immediate urgency to reach an agreement.

"I think we have laid the groundwork for what we were looking for, and there are already a number of things that have been settled, with the technical regulations in particular," he said.

"That said, there are still major disagreements between the teams. There are ten teams and each one has a different position to the others.

"It's impossible to make all of them happy and it's even likely that they will all be more or less unhappy at the end of the process. The idea is to find the best compromise," Carey added.