Formula 1 has added two further races to its 2020 World Championship schedule, with races at Mugello and Sochi to follow the initial run of eight Grands Prix.
The Grand Prix of Tuscany will debut at the Ferrari-owned Mugello circuit on September 13 as the third event in a triple-header after the Belgian and Italian Grands Prix. The Russian Grand Prix has been reinstated to its original September 27 date.
The race in Russia will be the sport’s first ‘flyaway’ event of the season after the Australian Grand Prix in March, which was cancelled on the eve of the event after a McLaren team member tested positive for the COVID-19 Coronavirus. That triggered a suspension of the 2020 World Championship season, which finally resumed at last weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix run under strict health and safety guidelines.
The Mugello circuit, which has had limited use as a test and demonstration venue, will fittingly be Ferrari’s 1000th Grand Prix. It will also host the Formula 2 and Formula 3 Championship support series’.
The 5.2-kilometre Mugello circuit will make its F1 debut, having previously staged occasional F1 tests and demonstration events.
“We are delighted to announce Mugello and Sochi will be part of the 2020 calendar,” said F1 boss Chase Carey. “And want to thank all our partners for their support in recent weeks.
“We had great start to our season in Austria last weekend and we are increasingly confident in our plans to race throughout the remainder of 2020.
“The Russian Grand Prix is a major moment in our season, and we are looking forward to being back in Sochi in September. We are equally excited to see Formula 1 race for the first time at Mugello, an occasion that will mark Ferrari’s 1000th Grand Prix.
“Both races will be a huge boost for fans with more announcements on the next races in our calendar coming in the weeks ahead.”
No additional races have been revealed thus far, although it is expected that the next announcement will include a visit to Portimão in Portugal, as well as the reinstatement of the Chinese and Vietnamese Grands Prix in October.
The November schedule has the United States, Mexico City and Brazilian Grands Prix, however, it is anticipated that none are likely to happen given all three locations continue to have very high rates of COVID-19 transmission.
They could be replaced with further rounds in Europe – the Hockenheimring and Imola circuits are both touted as possibilities – with a double-header in Bahrain to follow on November 29 and December 6 ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi on December 13.
| 2020 FIA Formula 1 World Championship Season Calendar | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Event | Location | |
| 05 JUL |  |
Austrian Grand Prix | Red Bull Ring, Spielberg |
| 12 JUL | |
Styrian Grand Prix | Red Bull Ring, Spielberg |
| 19 JUL |  |
Hungarian Grand Prix | Hungaroring, Mogyoród |
| 02 AUG |  |
British Grand Prix | Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone |
| 09 AUG | |
70th Anniversary Grand Prix | Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone |
| 16 AUG |  |
Spanish Grand Prix | Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Montmeló |
| 30 AUG |  |
Belgian Grand Prix | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot |
| 06 SEP |  |
Italian Grand Prix | Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza |
| 13 SEP | |
Tuscan Grand Prix | Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello, Scarperia e San Piero |
| 27 SEP |  |
Russian Grand Prix | Sochi Autodrom, Sochi |
| 25 OCT |  |
United States Grand Prix – PENDING | Circuit of the Americas, Austin |
| 01 NOV |  |
Mexico City Grand Prix – PENDING | Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City |
| 15 NOV |  |
Brazilian Grand Prix – PENDING | Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo |
| 29 NOV |  |
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – PENDING | Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi |
| Cancelled or Postponed Events | |||
| Date | Event | Location | |
| 15 MAR |  |
Australian Grand Prix – CANCELLED | Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne |
| 22 MAR |  |
Bahrain Grand Prix – POSTPONED | Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir |
| 05 APR |  |
Vietnamese Grand Prix – POSTPONED | Hanoi Street Circuit, Hanoi |
| 19 APR |  |
Chinese Grand Prix – POSTPONED | Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai |
| 03 MAY |  |
Dutch Grand Prix – CANCELLED | Circuit Zandvoort, Zandvoort |
| 24 MAY |  |
Monaco Grand Prix – CANCELLED | Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo |
| 07 JUN |  |
Azerbaijan Grand Prix – CANCELLED | Baku City Circuit, Baku |
| 14 JUN |  |
Canadian Grand Prix – POSTPONED | Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montréal |
| 28 JUN |  |
French Grand Prix – CANCELLED | Circuit Paul Ricard, Le Castellet |
| 20 SEP |  |
Singapore Grand Prix – CANCELLED | Marina Bay Sreet Circuit, Singapore |
| 11 OCT |  |
Japanese Grand Prix – CANCELLED | Suzuka International Racing Couse, Suzuka |
Image via Inside Racer
Richard Bailey
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