The boss of Formula 2 and Formula 3 says there is no stipulation that the current roster of events on the series’ respective calendars must stay the same each year.
Formula 2 has previously joined Formula 1 at 12 grands prix, with Formula 3 an add-on at eight or nine events, but for 2021 the junior categories have been split.
Formula 2’s calendar features Bahrain, Monaco, Azerbaijan, Britain, Italy, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, with Formula 3 competing in Spain, France, Austria, Hungary, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United States.
Bruno Michel, who organises both categories, says he is open to alternating events in future seasons as opposed to sticking to a rigid structure.
“We always decide on our calendar once the F1 calendar has been decided,” said Michel.
“We are trying to put together the calendar of the two categories on several criteria – cost, of course, and for instance as you see in F3 we have only one flyaway race which is Austin as it is quite expensive to go flyaway racing.
“Also we try to organise it in such a way that teams, if they have common personnel between F2 and F3, are not being completely overwhelmed with work.
“We are trying to alternate, and separate, the races as much as we can, as sometimes it is not possible, sometimes we have to go back-to-back, we did it last year and again this year.
“I don’t have any specific requests to go to France with F3 or Monza with F2, we look what the situation is, and what the best calendar can be.”
Michel nonetheless outlined that there are always likely to be “more flyaway [rounds] with F2 than F3.
“F3 will probably be more European – but we are happy this year to be adding an American round, because it also gives a little bit [more] image to F3.
“I was discussing [the 2021 calendar] with Chase [Carey] and Ross [Brawn], and Chase was the one pushing for F3 to go to Austin.”
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