Portugal set to be confirmed on 1 F2021 calendar

La Formula 1 will once again head to the Autodromo do Algarve in Portimão in 2021. The Portuguese Grand Prix, which returned to the program last season after 24 years of absence, will again be present on the calendar this year. 

The Lusitanian test has been in the pipeline for several weeks but it had not been officially confirmed due to the problematic developments in the health situation in the country in recent times. 

However, an agreement was reached between F1 officials and the event promoters. The positive outcome of the discussions must be communicated to the teams this Thursday, February 11 as part of a meeting of the F1 Commission where the questions of the 2022 engine freeze and Sprint races will also be addressed. 

Portimão, whose route excited all the drivers last year for the first steps of the premier category in the Algarve, should therefore host F1 from April 30 to May 2 for what will be the 3rd event of the 2021 season. 

The Portuguese GP will follow the meetings in Bahrain (March 26-28) and Imola (April 16-18). In recent weeks, F1 has studied the possibility of performing twice at Sakhir, as was the case successfully in 2020, in case Portimão could not hold its place.

Portugal, on the other hand, is part of a “red list” of 33 nations established by the British government to try to stem the Covid-19 pandemic on its territory. Travelers coming from or having transited through these destinations in the 10 days before arriving in the UK will be forced to observe an ultra-strict 10-day quarantine in specifically selected hotels. Isolation billed for nearly 2 euros. 

The situation will perhaps have changed by the end of April and the British contingent in the F1 paddock, which forms the majority of the troops, will in any case travel to Barcelona (May 7-9) in the wake of the Portimão meeting . 

However, if such drastic travel restrictions are still in force in Great Britain, some will go directly to Monaco for the next round (May 20-23). Others will probably continue to stay in Spain until they reach and cross the 10-day mark after leaving Portuguese territory.