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'Winter tests of 2021 possibly cancelled in order to extend F1 season of 2020'

'Winter tests of 2021 possibly cancelled in order to extend F1 season of 2020'

28-03-2020 14:54 Last update: 18:11

GPblog.com

Because of the coronavirus the first eight Grands Prix have been cancelled. Possibly more F1-weekends will be added in the coming weeks if the situation does not improve. It will be a very tough job for the FIA and the FOM to come to a new calendar.

Of the eight Grands Prix that are known not to have taken place or not to have taken place, Racefans.net has learned that six countries still want to organize a Grand Prix for the 2020 World Championship. The Monaco Grand Prix will not take place at all due to logistical reasons, so that means that of Australia, Bahrain, Vietnam, China, the Netherlands, Spain and Baku one more organizer has said not to have to return to the renewed F1 calendar. Which country that is, is not known.

All options are being researched

A season up to and including January 2021 is not excluded and the option of two-day Grands Prix is also being explored by the royal class of motor racing. The aforementioned media outlet says that possibly the test days for the 2021 season will be cancelled. At least until halfway June the 2020-season will still be at a standstill and it remains to be seen if the Canadian Grand Prix will take place. The race in Montreal is scheduled for 12-14 June.

Chase Carey already warned Formula 1 fans earlier in his open letter. The order of how Grands Prix is currently classified will be able to change completely, in order to eventually arrive at a representative calendar.

Factories possibly closed longer

Formula 1 is also looking at the possibility of keeping the teams' factories closed for a longer period of time. Stables must be closed for at least 21 days in March and/or April due to the early summer break, but extra weeks may be added. "This would limit teams’ opportunity to develop their cars, which would help them cut costs at a time when budgets are under severe pressure", writes RaceFans.