What face for the 2021 calendar?

Despite the threat that the Covid-19 pandemic will continue to pose to the championship in 2021, the calendar is taking shape with major adjustments at the start and end of the season. Thus, the Australian Grand Prix could be moved to the end of October/beginning of November and coupled with those of Singapore and Japan.

To keep the event in March, the decision to welcome spectators – a sine qua non condition for its organization – must be taken at the end of December at the latest in order to launch the construction of the track, except that the calendar must be finalized by the World Council in early December. Therefore, the postponement until the end of the season seems inevitable.

Therefore, the season is set to open in Bahrain, preceded by three days of pre-season testing, with cars and equipment remaining in Sakhir until the race weekend. From there, the Circus is expected to head to Vietnam and China.

After returning from Asia via Baku, the Dutch Grand Prix would open the European campaign on May 2, followed by a race in Spain or on a so-called “reserve” circuit before the Monaco Grand Prix on May 23 .

The latter will only take place if spectators are authorized in the Principality. If no changes occur until the summer break (Canada, Austria, France, Great Britain and Hungary) and the September resumption (Belgium, Italy, Russia), the end of season calendar could have a completely different physiognomy with, as indicated, Australia in the wake of Singapore and Suzuka, but also the withdrawal from the calendar of Brazil whose "cut-price" contract negotiated at the time by Bernie Ecclestone would not be renewed.

Unless we return to what Liberty Media considers to be a "fair price", it could do nothing less than disappear and be replaced by a Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia (see opposite), after the USA and Mexico and before the Abu Dhabi final.