Formula 1 grands prix could still be held in January 2021, CEO Chase Carey has conceded, though stressed the preference is to conclude the 2020 season in mid-December.
Formula 1’s original 2020 calendar ran from mid-March through the end of November, but the structure of events has been heavily disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.
The championship expects to begin in Austria with one round on July 5, followed by a second race at the same venue one week later, on July 12.
It hopes to visit Britain, followed by other venues in Europe, ahead of rounds in Asia and America, concluding in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, with a provisional date of December 13 slated for the finale.
But the prospect of moving the final rounds of 2020 into the early weeks of 2021 has not been completely ruled out.
“I think right now our current targeted plan has us finishing later in December than the original plan,” said Carey.
“But we are evaluating, and will consider, certainly finishing in January is an option, we could do that, we can do that.
“I think if we can we’d like to finish In December, we’d obviously have to take a fairly long break through the [Christmas] holidays, you’re not going to race in the holiday weeks.
“But it [a January 2021 event] is an option [and] we would have to work with our promoters, and with an array of parties, to get there, it is something considered.
“But I’d say our goal is to finish a couple of weeks later than our original date but to finish in mid-December ahead of the holidays.”
Carey also outlined Formula 1’s hope that the pandemic will not have a knock-on effect on its 2021 schedule.
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