Formula One 2021: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to be held December 5 at Yas Marina Circuit
FIA confirms longest season in F1 history with 23 races as Saudi Arabia makes bow
Dubai: The FIA has confirmed the Formula One 20201 season will be the longest in history — with 23 races culminating in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 5.
The traditional curtain-raiser in Australia — a race which was cancelled this year due to coronavirus — will kick things off on March 21.
Formula One chiefs confirmed that the storied Interlagos circuit will continue to be the Brazilian home of the sport until 2025.
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Rio had wanted to take the race but their bid to build a new track fell foul of environmentalists who protested the loss of a tropical forest which would have been felled to accommodate a new circuit. The Brazil race will be on 14 November.
Obviously, the calender is subject to change dependent on the coronavirus pandemic situation, but with the Abu Dhabi race going off successfully under strict health and safety measures, it is unlikely that we will see the chaos that disrupted most of the 2020 calendar.
Plans for the ‘F1 biosphere’ at the Australian GP in Melbourne are already under way, following its safe implementation in Abu Dhabi.
With Vietnam unlikely to host a race reserved for them — a key official responsible for the race in Hanoi has been arrested on corruption charges — the April 25 slot remains empty, with a host yet to be confirmed. Turkey’s Istanbul Park, Portugal’s Portimao and Italy’s Imola track are the most likely to replace Vietnam.
Saudi Arabia will host its inaugural F1 race in Jeddah on November 28 before the season-ender in Abu Dhabi.
2021 Formula 1 calendar
March 21 Australia (Melbourne)
March 28 Bahrain (Sakhir)
April 11 China (Shanghai)
April 25 TBC
May 9 Spain (Barcelona)
May 23 Monaco
June 6 Azerbaijan (Baku)
June 13 Canada (Montreal)
June 27 France (Le Castellet)
July 4 Austria (Spielberg)
July 18 Britain (Silverstone)
August 1 Hungary (Hungaroring)
August 29 Belgium (Spa)
September 5 Netherlands (Zandvoort)
September 12 Italy (Monza)
September 26 Russia (Sochi)
October 3 Singapore (Marina Bay)
October 10 Japan (Suzuka)
October 24 USA (Austin)
October 31 Mexico (Mexico City)
November 14 Brazil (Sao Paulo)
November 28 Saudi Arabia (Jeddah)
December 5 Abu Dhabi (Yas Marina)