Formula One has announced that three 2020 Grands Prix – the Azerbaijan, Japanese and Singapore – have been cancelled due to the ongoing recovery process from the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.
In the case of the 2020 Japanese Grand Prix which was to be held at Suzuka, an additional reason is Japan’s ban on many international travelers, while the races in Singapore and Baku have the additional problem of not being able to build their street circuits in the current pandemic climate.
Those three now join the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and the marquee Monaco Grand Prix as officially cancelled races in the 2020 season. Expected to potentially join that list are the USA Grand Prix [scheduled for October – due to a large event ban in place for Austin] and the Brazilian Grand Prix [scheduled for November – due to Brazilian government’s handling of the Covid-19 crisis]
F1 is now looking at a Euro-centric 2020 racing calendar that includes – at best – a 17-race schedule but which is likely to be less than that. The minimum eight races required for an official World Championship have previously been announced with the season ostensibly beginning with the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix on July 5, 2020, in Spielberg, Austria.
Of the remaining schedule, races could possibly be added in Germany [Hockenheim], Italy [Mugello] and Canada [the postponed 2020 Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal] while the end of the season is likely set for Bahrain and Abu Dhabi.