Chase Carey: "Tweaks" rather than "restructuring" as F1 2021 calendar nears completion

Formula 1 2021

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"Tweaks" rather than "restructuring" as F1 2021 calendar nears completion - Carey

Carey anticipates a record-breaking 22-race calendar

Sam Hall

Tuesday 11 August 2020 11:41 Updated: 16:07

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Formula 1 CEO and Chairman Chase Carey has said the 2021 calendar is close to completion but hinted at a later start than originally planned to the campaign.

The 2020 season was due to commence in Australia on March 15, but due to a positive case of coronavirus within the paddock, the event was halted.

The ensuing global pandemic has forced the cancellation of 11 grands prix to date, with the season eventually beginning behind closed doors on July 5 in Austria.

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GPFans understands the Abu Dhabi 2020 season finale is likely to be run on December 20th, and this later-than-ever close to the year could have a knock-on effect into '21, with Carey suggesting events could be moved back slightly to allow for a longer break between seasons.

Speaking on a Liberty Media conference call after announcing a substantial drop in revenue for the second financial quarter of the year, Carey said: "We are planning on 2021 that looks like we would expect it, which probably will be a '22 race calendar, a calendar that probably starts and finishes about when our calendar has.

"We may make it, so there's a little more space in the front end of it and the calendar, and second half is a little busier. So we've got a little more flexibility built into it but I think that's probably a tweak to it, not a real restructuring."

Answering a question on the sport's ability to cope with a prolonged period of behind-closed-doors racing, Carey added: "We are planning a 2021 season that looks pretty much like what we would have expected if it to look like the beginning of this year.

"And obviously, we qualify that with -- we don't have any better visibility than anybody else what this virus is going to look like as we go forward. I do think one has to realise, I think we're about five months into the virus and our season in March would be still seven months away.

"So, there's a long time and conversations on vaccines, and treatments, and testing and the like, will obviously continue to evolve."

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