Formula 1: Two races on 2020 schedule in jeopardy?
By Asher Fair
Two races that are scheduled to take place early on in the 2020 Formula 1 season could be in jeopardy for different reasons.
Two of the first four races of the 2020 Formula 1 season, which is scheduled to feature an all-time high total of 22 events, could be in jeopardy for two different devastating reasons.
The season is scheduled to get underway with the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit on Sunday, March 15, but Formula 1 chiefs are reportedly already in talks with race officials about monitoring the Australian bushfire crisis, specifically, at this point, the air quality in the area of the event.
The 58-lap race around the 16-turn, 3.296-mile (5.304-kilometer) Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit road course in Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia was added to the schedule in the 1996 season, and it has been on the schedule ever since. It has served as the season opener in all but two of the last 24 seasons, only not doing so in 2006 (third race) and 2010 (second race).
More from Formula One
- Formula 1: Top Red Bull threat identified for 2024
- Formula 1: Why the Max Verstappen retirement obsession?
- Formula 1: Williams ‘mistake’ hints Logan Sargeant’s future
- Formula 1 awaiting key confirmation for 2024 season
- Formula 1: The ‘championship’ Max Verstappen only leads by 3 points
Five weeks later, following the Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit and the inaugural Vietnamese Grand Prix at Hanoi Street Circuit, the Chinese Grand Prix is scheduled to take place at Shanghai International Circuit.
However, due to the recent coronavirus outbreak, this race is also on the hot seat. The track is located roughly 530 miles from Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak.
While Shanghai is not one of the cities currently on lockdown, the Federation of Automobile and Motorcycle Sports of People’s Republic of China (CAMF) has already announced that all motorsports events in China scheduled to take place until the beginning of April have been suspended.
The Chinese Grand Prix is scheduled to take place on Sunday, April 19, with free practice beginning on Friday, April 17, so it remains safe for the time being, but even if this does not change, the FIA could still opt not to go ahead with the event and place the health and safety of drivers and fans above all else.
The 56-lap race around the 16-turn, 3.388-mile (5.452-kilometer) Shanghai International Circuit road course in Jiading, Shanghai, China was added to the schedule in the 2004 season, and it has been on the schedule ever since. It has served as one of the first four races of the season since the 2009 season.
Because the 2020 schedule is already loaded with 22 races, rescheduling any event could prove to be a major issue, simply due to a lack of open slots in which a race could be held.
Top 10 Formula 1 drivers of all-time. dark. Next
Hopefully these two Formula 1 races can go on as planned with the start of the 2020 season nearing, but it remains possible that this will not be the case in order to prioritize the safety and health of all involved.