Mugello pictured to replace Turkey in 2021 F1 calendar

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W11, Daniel Ricciardo, Renault F1 Team RS20, Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes F1 W11, Sergio Perez, Racing Point RP20, Daniil Kvyat, AlphaTauri AT01, Alex Albon, Red Bull Racing RB16

The Turkish Grand Prix was put on the F1 calendar for the second time this year at the end of June. The Istanbul Park race was initially chosen as an alternative to the Canadian race on June 13, but British travel restrictions imposed on Turkey made that impossible. The race was back on the schedule at the end of June, this time to replace the Singapore Grand Prix. So now the race is in danger again. The British government has left Turkey on the COVID-19 red list and will remain there until at least September 16. This raises doubts about the continuation of the meeting near Istanbul.

The big problem is not the trip to Turkey, but the return of seven teams to Great Britain. Since Turkey is on the red list, team members must self-quarantine for ten days at a government-approved hotel upon return. F1 is no exception to this and does not expect to have one, which could affect hundreds of employees at the F1 circuit. The Japanese Grand Prix should have been a buffer between the Turkey Grand Prix and back to Great Britain. However, that race was canceled last week and so the plan was shattered.

In the event that the meeting does not actually take place in Turkey, Mugello is seen as a possible alternative. The Italian circuit hosted Formula 1 for the first time last year and has been very popular with teams, drivers and fans. From a business point of view, however, the race should make sense for all parties, and therefore it is not yet clear how feasible this scenario might be.

Uncertainty about the second half of the season

And what the second half of the F1 season will look like is far from clear. Mexico and Brazil are also on the British government’s red list, while the coronavirus is also advancing in Austin. In order to get as many races as possible despite the dangerous situation, F1 is working on different plans. Motorsport.com He has been informed of the possibility of hosting the Russian Grand Prix as a stand-alone race, while Turkey will have a week left until October 10. Teams can then book a simple trip to Sochi, with more time to wait for the UK government’s next decision on red zones.

If Turkey remains on the red list after September 16, British individuals can still travel directly to the United States. Then there should be a race on October 24th. To give teams the weekend after the US, Mexican and Brazilian GPs can be pushed back a week. However, these countries are ranked as a red zone, providing opportunities to make it into a triplex with a race in Qatar. If that doesn’t work, a second race in Bahrain is still an option.

However, these are all options that have yet to be determined. It is also still being discussed by regulators and other interested parties. F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali is expected to discuss the plans with the team bosses on Saturday during their already scheduled meeting.

More on the F1 calendar:

First F1 Grand Prix confirmed in Qatar, Turkey GP canceled, also this year two F1 races in Austria Adjusted again to F1 calendar: Turkey replaces Singapore