Photo: VnGrijl via CC
Three European circuits have been strongly tipped to join the 2020 Formula 1 calendar: Nürburgring, Imola, and Portimão. The first two of these have previously hosted F1 races, but have not done so in many years.
Since publishing the first post-COVID F1 calendar, only two more races have been officially confirmed for the 2020 season — the Russian Grand Prix, part of the original 2020 calendar, and the Tuscan Grand Prix, which will mark Mugello’s first-ever appearance in F1 and Ferrari’s 1000th race in the sport.
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The addition of the three aforementioned European circuits would bring the total count to 13 races, still short of Liberty Media’s desired amount, but much better than the eight that had been featured in the first revised calendar.
According to RaceFans, a spokesperson for the Nürburgring circuit (last on the F1 calendar in 2013) confirmed discussions had taken place with F1. It is expected to join the schedule after the Russian Grand Prix, as are the other two rumored circuits.
F1 has never before raced at the Autodromo do Algarve near Portimão, but F1 teams did test their cars there in 2008. As for Imola, it was the venue for the San Marino Grand Prix on 26 occasions between 1981 and 2006, as well as for the Italian Grand Prix in 1980.
Additionally, according to Auto Motor und Sport, the Malaysian Grand Prix is currently in talks with F1 to help fill out the 2020 calendar. Held at the Sepang International Circuit, this Grand Prix was last held as recently as 2017 and often produced great racing.
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Interestingly, should all of these circuits make an appearance in the 2020 F1 season, the new post-COVID calendar may prove to be a better one than the original. Many of the European circuits are older and better regarded by the fans, who dislike that in recent years, these classic races have been replaced by events in rich countries with poor human rights records, on tracks with repetitive layouts and no elevation changes.
When the Russian Grand Prix (held at the Sochi Autodrom, a circuit completely devoid of personality) had been confirmed as staying on for 2020, the response from most of the online F1 community was a virtually audible groan.
Hopefully, some of these circuits that were not on the original calendar will return in the future. Many of them were already in regular talks with F1, and if the events go well in 2020, the circumstances brought upon by COVID-19 may well have given them the “in” they had been looking for.
Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.