Mugello and Portimao expected to feature on revised F1 schedule

A calendar for the remainder of the Formula 1 season is expected next week prior to the opening grand prix in Austria.

Germany’s Auto Motor Sport report that a deal has been made to race at Mugello on 13 September (one week after Monza). The race will be Ferrari’s 1000th race and they will be able to celebrate it at their own track.

Sochi is set to follow on 27 September but Hockenheim is on standby if the coronavirus situation in Russia does not improve.

Portugal’s Portimao is highly likely to be on the new schedule too and it would be the first Portuguese Grand Prix since 1996.

Following this, things are less clear. Canada wans to hold a rescheduled race in October but only if the US Grand Prix gets the go ahead. Bobby Epstein, CEO of the Circuit of the Americas, has said they are still planning for F1 to race in Texas but it is still a big unknown given the coronavirus situation in the US.

Mexico and Brazil are unlikely to feature on the calendar and the teams do not want to head to Asia if the circus only travels to China (after the cancellation of the Singapore, Japanese and Azerbaijan Grand Prix).

Bahrain is expected to host a double-header before the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Confirmation of what stage Formula 1 is at with the 2020 calendar will be unveiled within the next seven days but the teams will have to know how many races F1 plans to have this year so they know how many gearboxes and engines they will be able to use as well as how hard they can push in the opening grand prix.