2021 F1 Calendar Already In Question

[wombat666]

2021 F1 Calendar Already In Question As Australian GP Might Be Delayed - January 4, 2021

"Just days into 2021 and Formula 1’s plans for the year may already be at risk, as the season opener in Australia is at risk of being postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Australian Grand Prix at the Albert Park in Melbourne has been the season opener since 1996 (barring 2006 and 2010). The sport tried to hold the race last year, but the event was canceled following Friday practice after a member of the McLaren team tested positive for the virus.
With efforts to slow the virus’s spread ongoing, it looks like 2021 will be the second year in a row without an Australian season opener. The good news for fans of the event, though, is that Motorsport reports the event has only been delayed.

Citing unnamed sources, the outlet reports that the race may be rescheduled to later in the year. As recently as January 1, though, F1’s official Twitter account published its 2021 race calendar with Australia as the first race of the season on March 21.
The next race on the calendar, the Bahrain Grand Prix, is set for March 28 and may become the de facto season opener if Australia is, indeed, postponed.

The Australian government has stated that two-week-long quarantines will be required for all F1 personnel visiting the country.

The sport’s 2020 calendar was rocked by the pandemic, forcing the majority of the season to take place on European tracks. Despite its efforts to limit the virus’ transmission, though, three drivers tested positive for COVID-19 in 2020.

Although Australia currently only has 279 active cases COVID-19, cases have been skyrocketing in the UK, where the majority of F1’s teams engineer and build their cars. On January 2 alone, the country recorded more than 57,000 new cases.
Formula 1 wouldn’t be the only motorsport facing scheduling issues as a result of the pandemic. Its electric equivalent, Formula E, had to cancel its first race in Santiago after Chile closed its borders to the UK."

Makes sense given the lack of or exceptionally poor COVID control in the UK.
With 99% of the Australian population having worked so hard to get on top of COVID the AGP is not even worth considering AT ALL!
I say that as one who has a partner who worked herself into the ground over the past 10+ months or so in our hospital system with only a few weeks off, that as Sofie was ordered to do so by the head of her medical team who was concerned that she was approaching burnout.

[wombat666]

It seems as if a date in November is currently favored.

[wombat666]

"Sandown could yet host a round of the 2021 Supercars season should the planned event alongside the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne fall victim to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Although Sandown didn’t feature on the calendar for the year ahead, the venue was named as a ‘flex option’ that could step in to host a round should any of the other circuits not be able to run the events that have been planned – with ‘multiple bookings’ having been put in place throughout the year.
Speculation suggests that Formula 1 could elect to postpone the Albert Park event due to strict travel restrictions that are still in place in Australia, with the possibility that the race could be moved to a new date later in the year.
Should the race be postponed, the second round of the Supercars season would still be run but at a new venue, with Sandown stepping in to run the meeting.

“If any changes prevent the AGP from going ahead, we’re ready to go racing at Sandown Raceway over the same weekend,” a Supercars spokesperson revealed.

Sandown didn’t feature on the 2020 calendar after changes forced on Supercars by the pandemic."

Probably get a good crowd attendance depending on what stage the Plague' is in.

[Panther_99FS]

Well,
Some said the 2020 season would never happen - so I haven't lost faith yet.

[huub vink]

Australian Grand Prix moved, Chinese and Vietnamese Grand Prix cancelled. Millions of Chinese in lockdown, a mutated Covid virus in Europe and South Africa. The number of infections sky high in the UK and Ireland...

We already have seen some changes and these definitely won't be the ones this year.

MotoGP calls their calendar already "provisional" from the start. When the season is only half as interesting as last year it is definitely worth to watch.

Cheers,
Huub

[wombat666]

Vic Government spokesperson confirmed November as the month to run the F1 GP if and when it becomes safe to do so.
The CMO suggested the only way the F1 circus could come to town sooner than November would be for ALL personal involved to undergo 14 days quarantine, no exemptions.
I take the pragmatic approach, why pay the exorbitant price demanded for the privilege of running an event where spectators will be severely limited and the State Government who fund the GP find
themselves unable to cover the costs when they are pouring vast amounts of $$$ into combating the 'Plague'.

And yes indeed, we really missed the MotoGP at PI last year but they gave us a 'limited' season last year and it was one of the best and most unpredictable of all time.