2020 Formula 1 Calendar threadFormula 1

[Dennisch]

Miami still isn't dead. Protests in the current area havr pretty much shot down the Biscayne boulevard/Bayfront park idea so now they are looking to move the race to Miami Gardens near the Hard Rock stadium.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Out of absolutely nowhere...
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/rio-brazil-president-grand-prix-2020/4383940/

The Brazilian Grand Prix will be moving to a brand new circuit in Rio de Janeiro for next season. So get ready to say goodbye to Interlagos this season...

 

[TheElbows]

That's been on the way for a while. Interlago is ancient and borderline decrepit (it's mentioned every time they broadcast there). It was only a matter of time. Interlagos normally puts up a decent race, but I'm sure we'll see another fairly boring ultra-modern Tilke replacement (unless they make it a street course which would be interesting).

 

[DesertPenguin]

While there is history at that track, they arent currently driving said track that has actual history. They'll still be in Brazil which matters more

 

[Jimlaad43]

While there is history at that track, they arent currently driving said track that has actual history. They'll still be in Brazil which matters more

I'd argue that the modern layout has a lot more history than the old one. Certainly many more memorable moments.

 

[EngieDiesel]

That's been on the way for a while. Interlago is ancient and borderline decrepit (it's mentioned every time they broadcast there). It was only a matter of time. Interlagos normally puts up a decent race, but I'm sure we'll see another fairly boring ultra-modern Tilke replacement (unless they make it a street course which would be interesting).

Interlagos has also been up for sale for at least a couple years now, so with no stable financial future and concerns about personnel safety still unresolved it's not too surprising that it wasn't going to last much longer.

 

[mustafur]

Don't know how I feel about this, Interlagos has been one of the best tracks for action on the calendar.

The 2008 finale probably being the peak, but basically every time it rains the track produces a classic.

 

[C-ZETA]

Interlagos normally puts up a decent race, but I'm sure we'll see another fairly boring ultra-modern Tilke replacement (unless they make it a street course which would be interesting).

I just find it hilarious that they knocked down a race track to make way for Olympic facilities, and are now knocking down some other Olympic facilities to make way for a race track.

Still, if they have any memory of the old one, they'll know that they had an F1-worthy track layout to work with...so why not just bring it back again? Just make it Jacarepagua, but up to modern standards.

Anyway. Carey says F1 will lose two current races in 2020. I bet you neither of them is Sochi or Yas Marina. Then again, this is the man who vowed not to “gimmick-up” the sport then went and introduced a point for the fastest lap so who knows if he's telling the truth or not.

 

[mustafur]

My guess is Baku will lose it's spot, there has been rumors of it before, which h would be a big shame it's a good track for action when it wants to be, The best track on the calendar if the races gets a proper safety car.

Sochi would be the number 1 track if I had to choose to cull though, it's a crap track in a crap location, it's the barriers, it makes the place look like a giant carpark, I would much prefer some of the new tracks go with the idea of Baku where you got some really tight technical parts mixed in with big open areas with places to overtake, essentially it's a Safety car trap that allows cars to move through the field once it happens.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Sochi would probably be ok if it weren't for the fact that apart from turn 3, literally every corner is exactly the same, it's all 90 degree corners. Its in a good venue, and the Black Sea and the Mountains look great in the background, but the track sucks.

 

[PeterJB]

It's a glorified Formula E circuit.

 

[mustafur]

Sochi would probably be ok if it weren't for the fact that apart from turn 3, literally every corner is exactly the same, it's all 90 degree corners. Its in a good venue, and the Black Sea and the Mountains look great in the background, but the track sucks.

It would be a good venue if the track looked like it belonged there, it looks like a Concrete barriered Eyesore placed in Amuzement park.

 

[FutureF1]

Baku puts on the best race of the season most of the time. Idk why people want to axe it.

 

[Liquid]

It's a glorified Formula E circuit.

Which would be fine if we had Formula E racing but we don't.

Dreadful track. Asdamania.

 

[C-ZETA]

Still, if they have any memory of the old one, they'll know that they had an F1-worthy track layout to work with...so why not just bring it back again? Just make it Jacarepagua, but up to modern standards.

They didn't do this either. Instead they've been, predictably, to Hermann Tilke, and so we have...this.

Looks like the usual nondescript affair to me.

 

[Carbon_6]

I'm more intrigued by that mass of squiggles north of the Senna S.

Karting track, perhaps?

 

[Jimlaad43]

I'm more intrigued by that mass of squiggles north of the Senna S.

Karting track, perhaps?

Formula E

 

[EngieDiesel]

They didn't do this either. Instead they've been, predictably, to Hermann Tilke, and so we have...this.

Looks like the usual nondescript affair to me.

If the track direction went the other way so the long boring straights were the last part of the lap, I imagine it wouldn't be so bad. But yeah, you can really see where the design motif was "draw a triangle, erase half of one side and then put the other stuff in".

 

[TenEightyOne]

The BRDC, organisers of the British GP at Silverstone, say that the prospect of a London race is making them nervous about making a contract for a new race at their track. They think the British weather (gawd love it) would force any London race into a similar part of the calendar and impact negatively on their own ticket sales. BBC.

 

[mustafur]

Why would we not want to take advantage of the British weather, racing isn't holidays the worse the weather the better.

 

[Dennisch]

So, another street circuit on the horizon. After years of neutering actual racetracks because of safety.

Logic.

 

[PeterJB]

It'll never happen, the streets are too narrow. They'll want to do it Gran Turismo style and have it going around the landmarks in the centre which'll cause too much disruption and unless the main straight is the Mall I don't see where they can really overtake.

 

[Dennisch]

Perhaps they should listen to Lewis. He and pretty much every other driver despise Paul Ricard because of the ridiculous amount of run-off.

He wants mistakes to be punished, like with the sausages in Austria, or the walls on several other tracks, because that's part of racing.

 

[PeterJB]

Just replace the psychedelic run-off with grass and it'll be fine.

 

[TenEightyOne]

Just replace the psychedelic run-off with grass and it'll be fine.

Yes, but no. It would completely remove the actual point of the track. What should happen is that they stop holding races there.

 

[mustafur]

Paul Ricard has 1000s of Layouts surely one of them could be good, also they need to use the full straight and put the DRS much further down the straight.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Use the fastest first chicane possible and remove the Mistral chicane too. I like both turns that are there now, but removal would be best for the rest of the fans.

 

[TenEightyOne]

Paul Ricard has 1000s of Layouts surely one of them could be good, also they need to use the full straight and put the DRS much further down the straight.

It's the run-off that's a problem too. I like the Austrian Sausage idea, in so many ways. They should give the drivers the Sausage more often.

 

[Jimlaad43]

We now have 20 races contracted for next season and space for one more. Germany, Mexico and Spain are the three on the current calendar fighting for that last space.

Which do we want and which do we think it'll be, and will you be sad to lose any of them?

Of the three, I'd pick Germany without a doubt. Hockenheim is one of the best circuits in the world for wheel to wheel racing and overtaking as fights can last for half a lap regularly. Mexico is nice in the stadium, but sucks everywhere else as the only unique aspect - the high altitude - makes the racing worse. Barcelona has had one exciting dry race in its entire existence - 2017 - and is just a test track nobody can pass on, so I wouldn't care if it disappeared.

 

[zzz_pt]

We now have 20 races contracted for next season and space for one more. Germany, Mexico and Spain are the three on the current calendar fighting for that last space.

Which do we want and which do we think it'll be, and will you be sad to lose any of them?

Of the three, I'd pick Germany without a doubt. Hockenheim is one of the best circuits in the world for wheel to wheel racing and overtaking as fights can last for half a lap regularly. Mexico is nice in the stadium, but sucks everywhere else as the only unique aspect - the high altitude - makes the racing worse. Barcelona has had one exciting dry race in its entire existence - 2017 - and is just a test track nobody can pass on, so I wouldn't care if it disappeared.

Of those 3 I'd prefer Germany too.

But I miss a GP in Portugal. Either Estoril or, preferably, Algarve. Dunno if they meet the current F1 regulation standards but I bet the races would be better than in a lot of current GP circuits.