Formula 1 CEO Chase Carey is optimistic the sport can target a return to normality with the calendar for 2021.
This year’s championship is currently in disarray due to the coronavirus with 10 races postponed or cancelled and the sport scrambling to put together at least a 15-race season starting from July.
Even if the racing does resume this summer, it is also expected to be some time yet before fans will be allowed in the grandstands, though Carey is optimistic not every event will be behind closed doors.
“We expect the early part of the calendar to be races without fans, but we hope to allow fans to attend in the latter part of the year,” he said after Liberty Media revealed a huge loss in revenue for F1 over the first three months of this year.
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Of course, all of F1’s ambitions depend on the coronavirus situation easing and staying subdued in the future, whether it be through a vaccine or simply a reduced outbreak.
Some experts though are warning Covid-19 may well return again when Autumn and Winter arrives and that could potentially mean F1 and the world could face a repeat of the current situation in 2021.
Carey though is remaining positive.
“We don’t have a magic number, but the answer is yes. Our goal is to have 2021 look like the 2021 season we planned back in January,” he said.
After the additions of Vietnam and the Netherlands for 2020, though both are currently postponed, the F1 chief also hinted the possibility of more new venues joining the schedule.
“Ultimately we have renewals [of race contracts] to put in place, and we have some ongoing discussions with a potential couple of new races that we think would be a positive enhancement to the business for fans and shareholders,” Carey added.
“But we expect 2021 to look like the 2021 we were looking at in January, so if we planned on 22 races then, again, we don’t have a magic number but we’d still be planning on 22 races.”