Nurburgring, Autodromo do Algarve, and Imola in 2020

[ENGINE TUNER]

F1 should switch the dates of the Barcelona race and the nurburgring race

[Restomaniac]

It’s such a shame that they can’t run the full length track. I would love to see some of the drivers trying to get their heads around a 20Km+ track.

[Big Tea]

It’s such a shame that they can’t run the full length track. I would love to see some of the drivers trying to get their heads around a 20Km+ track.

It would be far easier today as they would have scrolling maps and 'reminders' on radio. A pencil sketch taped to your leg is hell on wheels.

[Mogster]

F1 should switch the dates of the Barcelona race and the nurburgring race

Yes. Last year, early October it was 8-10°C at the Nurburgring. I’d imagine a track temperature that low would cause massive tyre warm up problems and graining.

Weather wise they should also swop Imola and Portimao, it would be less of a risk. Barcelona and Portimao would be OK even into December. I assume there are contractual reasons why they can’t run Barcelona and Portimao later, they would even have made a sensible double header it seems.

[GTO99]

it's interesting that the entire 2020 season will only take place in Europe.

Ya, on F1 website it states "due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, local restrictions and the importance of keeping communities and personnel safe, Formula 1 has confirmed it will not be possible to race in Brazil, USA, Mexico and Canada this season."
What a bunch of BS!
It's to save money!

[Restomaniac]

It’s such a shame that they can’t run the full length track. I would love to see some of the drivers trying to get their heads around a 20Km+ track.

It would be far easier today as they would have scrolling maps and 'reminders' on radio. A pencil sketch taped to your leg is hell on wheels.

[ENGINE TUNER]

F1 should switch the dates of the Barcelona race and the nurburgring race

Yes. Last year, early October it was 8-10°C at the Nurburgring. I’d imagine a track temperature that low would cause massive tyre warm up problems and graining.

Weather wise they should also swop Imola and Portimao, it would be less of a risk. Barcelona and Portimao would be OK even into December. I assume there are contractual reasons why they can’t run Barcelona and Portimao later, they would even have made a sensible double header it seems.

Not just weather wise, logistics, travel, and also spain is having another Corona outbreak right now. Many reasons to make that switch

[Manoah2u]

it's interesting that the entire 2020 season will only take place in Europe.

Ya, on F1 website it states "due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, local restrictions and the importance of keeping communities and personnel safe, Formula 1 has confirmed it will not be possible to race in Brazil, USA, Mexico and Canada this season."
What a bunch of BS!
It's to save money!

I am certain indeed that's a huge part of the deal, yes. However, it is offcourse certain that the infection risks at this moment are staggeringly higher in forementioned regions, and if team members get infected, then they can't race, which will cost them a whole load of money to start with not even to mention championship points and in the end much more money, not even talking about health here.

[RZS10]

it's interesting that the entire 2020 season will only take place in Europe.

Ya, on F1 website it states "due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic , local restrictions and the importance of keeping communities and personnel safe, Formula 1 has confirmed it will not be possible to race in Brazil, USA, Mexico and Canada this season."
What a bunch of BS!
It's to save money!

It's mostly true though ...

There's three points that are mentioned
(1) ongoing Covid-19 pandemic
(2) restrictions
(3) keeping communities and personnel safe

The USA still have travel restrictions and F1 doesn't have the standing there to get any exemptions, they also still have large numbers of new infections - there's also restrictions for people coming back from the US to the UK and other european countries. Don't know how well they could isolate themselves from the local community.
USA check 2/3 points on the list.

Brazil has travel bans and the track is in the middle of the city making isolating F1 from the local community near impossible ... covid cases are still rising.
That's 3/3.

Mexico is just like Brazil, rising cases, middle of city even though they're officially "reopening" and there's no strict travel bans it still checks 2/3 on the list.

The only race that was likely cancelled for financial reasons is Canada, even though they seem to have travel restrictions in place and the track is in the middle of Montreal so still 2/3.

So their claim is 75% (9/12) true.

edit: maybe to make this post more relevant to the thread ... the NBR and the Algarve track are pretty much in the middle of nowhere, Imola is close to the old city but on the southern side there's nothing. The covid situation in all three countries is far more under control than in the americas and there's no more travel restrictions as far as i'm aware.

[Just_a_fan]

Regarding the USA GP, has Hanna caused any issues at the track or is it all happening further south? Would Texas want the resource cost of hosting a race if they have to help locals hit by the storm?

[Steven]

Please note this topic is about the three new confirmed races on the calendar.

Some unrelated COVID-19 posts have been moved to the general COVID-19 topic.

[falonso81]

Cars climbing the hill after aqua minerale will be epic. Hoping for the camera to be at the same place it was back in the days.

[Mogster]

Cars climbing the hill after aqua minerale will be epic. Hoping for the camera to be at the same place it was back in the days.

The camera positions for the SRO GT3 race at the weekend were pretty good. Particularly the ones at Tamburello and Villeneuve, they were low to the track and emphasised the rapid change of direction and the energy in the kerb hopping. One problem was that with the main straight being very long and curved Sky seemed short of cameras. Action was missed as there seemed to be no camera dedicated to covering the area between the pit exit and Tamburello, the camera on the far side of Tamburello couldn’t see the entry to Tamburello either. It was doubly odd as most of the overtaking was going on in that part of the track...

[Mr5in1]

it's interesting that the entire 2020 season will only take place in Europe.

Ya, on F1 website it states "due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, local restrictions and the importance of keeping communities and personnel safe, Formula 1 has confirmed it will not be possible to race in Brazil, USA, Mexico and Canada this season."
What a bunch of BS!
It's to save money!

I believe there will be Asian races through Bahrain and Abu Dhabi to be announced (Maybe turkey but that sits between two continents). I think the calendar they have developed has been very positive considering the pandemic and how it has affected other sports. Their decision I assume is based on minimising air time and yes to save money but for the teams. Remember McLaren had to be bailed out not long ago by a Bahraini bank, I assume all teams have been hit by COVID just like any business. In return we as fans get to witness classic European circuits return to the calendar, everyone wins.

[NathanOlder]

Just received an email selling tickets to the race in portimoa. Fans back for that one then.