Method One has issued a revised 2021 race schedule, with the deliberate season-opener in Australia postponed till November and a race at Imola changing the Chinese language Grand Prix.

The modifications have been made in response to journey restrictions imposed by governments as a result of ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The season will now get underway in Bahrain on March 28 and run every week longer than initially deliberate, with the ultimate race in Abu Dhabi shifted again to December 12. That may create house on the finish of the season for the Australian Grand Prix to fit into a brand new date on November 21 between the Brazilian and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix.

Imola, which staged a grand prix on final 12 months’s rescheduled calendar, would be the second race of the 12 months on April 18, with the placement of the third race, on Could 2, but to be confirmed.

Portimao, which hosted the Portuguese Grand Prix in 2020, is believed to be into account in addition to a second race on the Circuit de Catalunya exterior Barcelona, which can host the Spanish Grand Prix every week afterward Could 9.

Method One stated discussions to reschedule the Chinese language Grand Prix are “ongoing” with the promoter of the race, however it isn’t but clear the place it would slot in to the rescheduled calendar.

Rescheduled 2021 F1 calendar
March 28, Bahrain GP, Sakhir
April 18, Emilia Romagna GP, Imola*
Could 2, TBC
Could 9, Spanish GP, Circuit de Catalunya
Could 23, Monaco GP, Monte Carlo
June 6, Azerbaijan GP, Baku
June 13, Canadian GP, Montreal
June 27, French GP, Paul Ricard
July 4, Austrian GP, Pink Bull Ring
July 18, British GP, Silverstone
August 1, Hungarian GP, Budapest
August 29, Belgian GP, Spa-Fracorchamps
September 5, Dutch GP, Zandvoort
September 21, Italian GP, Monza
September 26, Russian GP, Sochi
October 3, Singapore GP, Marina Bay
October 10, Japanese GP, Suzuka
October 24, U.S. GP, Austin
October 31, Mexican GP, Mexico Metropolis
November 7, Brazilian GP, Sao Paulo
November 21, Australian GP, Melbourne*
December 5, Saudi Arabian GP, Jeddah**
December 12, Abu Dhabi GP, Yas Marina

*Revisions to calendar are topic to World Motor Sport Council approval
**Topic to circuit homologation

As issues stand, the 2021 calendar retains a record-breaking 23 races and is closely loaded in the direction of the top of the 12 months within the hope that journey restrictions will ease up.

“It has been a busy begin to the 12 months at Method One and we’re happy to substantiate that the variety of races deliberate for the season stays unchanged,” F1’s newly-appointed CEO Stefano Domenicali stated.

“The worldwide pandemic has not but allowed life to return to regular, however we confirmed in 2020 that we will race safely as the primary worldwide sport to return and we now have the expertise and plans in place to ship on our season.

“It’s nice information that we now have already been in a position to agree a rescheduled date for the Australian Grand Prix in November and we’re persevering with to work with our Chinese language colleagues to discover a answer to race there in 2021 if one thing modifications.

“We’re very excited to announce that Imola will return for the 2021 season and know our followers will probably be wanting ahead to the return of Method One after the winter break and our revised season opener in Bahrain.

“Clearly, the virus state of affairs stays fluid, however we now have the expertise from final season with all our companions and promoters to adapt accordingly and safely in 2021.”

Pre-season testing is because of happen in Bahrain two weeks earlier than the opening race, though the dates haven’t but been confirmed.

Query marks additionally grasp over the primary two road races of the 12 months in Monaco and Baku, which require a better lead time to organize their occasions and are a lot more durable to carry behind closed doorways with out the general public.