Formula One Vault

Behind The Headlines – Putting the calendar together

Note this started to be written three weeks ago, may not reflect current restrictions in place. Also, the announcements in recent days make some of this inaccurate at the time of publishing

The Formula One season is facing a logistical challenge as it looks to cramp in fifteen races into just twenty weeks between the 28^th June and the week before Christmas. The logistics of re-organising races and various restrictions on travel

Fixed races have to be Singapore as it’s a street race

It makes sense for Silverstone to move to the 26 – 28 June as most of the teams are UK based. There are also discussions that the circuit could hold two races, I would say if that is the case the ‘European or English Grand Prix’ would be held back to back

Then a week later we would head to Paul Ricard for the French Grand Prix. After a week off we would have the Dutch and Belgian doubleheader as it makes sense for them to be back to back, Austria would follow the week after.

However, since I wrote this France extended a ban on mass gathering, so I swapped the Austrian race I put in on 03 – 05 July. Also, Belgian and Dutch governments have announced bans on mass gatherings.

If the situation improves in Italy, then its race will move to the 26 August followed by Russia on the 13^th of September. Singapore is a fixed date in the season so has to take place on 20^th September, by moving Sochi. Forward Melbourne takes its place on the 27^{th of} September.

Following the Dutch government ban on mass gatherings on 21^st April, I swapped the Russian GP to 26^th July and moved Zandvoort to 6^th of September and Monza back a week to 30^th August.

Spanish Grand Prix to be cancelled and deferred the final year Hungary to be cancelled as it has a long term deal. I think it is impossible to do four races back to back as it will be too much for the teams and everyone involved in the sport.

Mexican Grand Prix cannot take place unless the Vietnamese Grand Prix is cancelled then moves to 08^th November creating a triple header with Austin and Brazil.

Abu Dhabi moves to 20^th December with Bahrain taking place a week before.

Abu Dhabi moves from the 27 – 29 November to the 18 – 20 December as it is contracted to be the final race. Young driver test to be cancelled until.

I’ve excluded the 27^th December as its unlikely teams will want to race that weekend as it means Friday practice will take place on Christmas Day

My proposed Calendar

 Super season

We could also run a super season over eighteen months with only the ‘core races’ in 2020 and is repeated in 2021. I would say the ‘core’ are Britain, USA, Italy, France, Brazil, Belgium and Mexico, these are from a historic and business view.

The season would start at in Austria on 03 – 05 July followed by a week later Silverstone

The Monaco GP is a Fixed date of 23^rd of May 2021, that means I would slot the French GP in the week before allowing Miami to double up in the first North America doubleheader with Montreal. Then Silverstone takes the traditional Paul Ricard slot and Austria stays where it is. I think Monza has to be sadly dropped as Italy has been majorly affected by the Pandemic in 2020.

Japan would move forward a month to 06 September and the fixed Singapore race on 20^th September followed by Russia. Brazil would move into the Japan slot followed by Canada, USA, Mexico.

Then we would have a doubleheader in Bahrain & Abu Dhabi in November and December. A five-week ‘winter shutdown’ over Christmas before returning to Bahrain for the 2021 leg, this is logical as it saves moving freight back to Europe.

Mexico would follow ahead of six days of testing over two weeks in Barcelona. That would end with the Spanish Grand Prix on 21^st February before going to China for the 07^th March followed by Melbourne a fortnight later.

Melbourne a week later than this year on 21 March running back to back with Hanoi on Palm Sunday. The week after we would go to Sochi running back to back with Baku for a double-header.

The 2021 European season would start at Zandvoort on the 2^nd of May, with a French Rivera double-header at Paul Ricard on 16^th and Monaco on 22^nd May.

Then we will have the first North Americas leg, with the new Miami Grand Prix on 13^th June a week after Canada. The second British Grand Prix will on 27^th June, followed by Austria and Hungary. A slightly earlier summer break allowed the final European double-header on 29^th in Spa and 5^th at Monza.

The first flyway race in Singapore on 19^th September followed by Suzuka at the start of October, followed by the double-header in Mexico City and Austin. Brazil a fortnight later then Abu Dhabi as the season finale.

A core eight historic race season

F1 needs eight races to form a championship, we are going to exclude Monaco from this as it been cancelled. The core races in my view, Britain, France, Italy, Belgium, Canada, USA, Brazil and Japan. I’m picking these races based on history rather than the business case.

Firstly, I would ask Japan to be a night race as a one-off, this season would start in August at Silverstone then fortnightly races in French, Belgium, Italy, Japan, Canada, USA and finale at Interlagos on. 15^th November. This would be a shortt season, but is a minimum needed is eight races. I would start at Silverstone on 2^nd August then hold bi-weekly races until mid-November.

A shorter season would ensure a championship happens, in it, I’m thinking about the historical races and not the business. I’m also thinking about an even spread of races across the regions, each region of the world would race. You could even expand to nine races adding in Abu Dhabi, but I’ve not done that as this was an idea of getting just the minimum needed.

General complications

Any attempts to change the points system to say the best twenty-two races in a thirty-five race calendar I think will be over complicated. Previous attempts to change the system have not worked. The best twenty-two would either work at the end of the season, or you pick eleven from the first half and eleven from the second half.

The fewer races you have would mean every race would be more valuable, for example, an eight-race season means every race is worth 12.5% of your season, whereas a thirty-five race season a race would be

Also, more engines and gearboxes would be needed for a super season, for thirty-five races you would need seven engines and gearboxes. Gearboxes must last for five races, all this would increase the cost.

The biggest issues are the various restrictions which countries have put in place to halt to international travel and mass gatherings. This could hamper plans to get the whole season, there could be changes mid-season.