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F1 calendar set to change again: Qatar to make its debut

F1 calendar set to change again: Qatar to make its debut

22-07-2021 12:57 Last update: 15:15

GPblog.com

The 2021 Formula 1 season is actually going extremely well at the moment. Only the Canadian Grand Prix could not take place due to the coronavirus measures, but that weekend has now been made up for by driving twice at the Red Bull Ring. Liberty Media and the FOM still have a big job to do to have 23 Grands Prix on the calendar at the end of the year.

It was already known that the Singapore GP would not take place, but there is already a replacement: Turkey. It is not yet clear who will take over the vacant seat in Australia. And then it is still unclear if the Japanese Grand Prix can take place. At the moment the Olympic Games are taking place there but the number of infections is not decreasing.

In Japan, the WEC race and the MotoGP have already been cancelled for September and October. The Japanese Grand Prix is also scheduled for October. At the latest August 10 we have to know if the circuit can be used because that is when the overseas containers of the teams are sent out.

If Japan is cancelled there is a big chance that Austin will get a second race. On the calendar this will be as follows:

- GP Russia: 26 September
- GP Turkey: 3 October
- GP United States (I): 17 October
- GP United States (II): 24 October
- GP Mexico: 31 October

If you have been in South America, you have to go into quarantine for 14 days according to the laws of many European countries. The Brazilian Grand Prix will then take place on November 14 and on November 21 there will be an extra Grand Prix in the Middle East because there are no quarantine regulations there.

That extra Grand Prix will in fact replace Australia. But who will organise that weekend? Formula 1 can go to Bahrain again, using the 'Outer Loop', just like in 2020 when it was called the Sakhir GP. Qatar is also a candidate, according to the German medium Auto Motor und sport. The country would like to host Formula 1 and would be willing to spend tens of millions of euros to do so. Liberty Media might fall for that, as the corona period is still causing a big loss of income.

The possible continuation of the 2022 F1 calendar:

- GP Brazil: 14 November-
- GP Sakhir / GP Qatar: 21 November-
- GP Saudi Arabia: 5 December-
- GP Abu Dhabi: 12 December