quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
Heard on a podcast today, that if they dont race 75% of the season, it's not a championship. Not sure what they'd do then or how that would affect constructor points & prize money.

With the first 4 races not happening, we're on the verge of it, if the BAH/VIE races aren't rescheduled.

quote:

The Dutch, Spanish and Monaco Grands Prix have been postponed due to the global spread of the coronavirus. The news follows the cancellation of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix last week, and the postponement of the Chinese, Bahrain and Vietnam Grands Prix.

The Dutch Grand Prix, due to return to the calendar for the first time since 1985, was set to be held at Zandvoort on May 1-3, with the Spanish race following a week later, and the Monaco Grand Prix on May 21-24.

But with the ongoing coronavirus situation all three races have now been put on hold. A statement said: “Formula 1, the FIA and the three promoters have taken these decisions in order to ensure the health and safety of the travelling staff, championship participants and fans, which remains our primary concern.”

All parties said they would study the viability of finding alternative dates to run the races later in the year, and the statement added that Formula 1 and the FIA expect to be able to begin the 2020 season “as soon as it’s safe to do so after May” but will continue to monitor the situation.

The statement in full:
In view of the continued global spread of COVID-19 and after ongoing discussions with the FIA and the three promoters it has today been confirmed that the Formula 1 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2020, Formula 1 Gran Premio De España 2020 and Formula 1 Grand Prix De Monaco 2020 will be postponed.

Due to the ongoing and fluid nature of the COVID-19 situation globally, Formula 1, the FIA and the three promoters have taken these decisions in order to ensure the health and safety of the travelling staff, championship participants and fans, which remains our primary concern.

Formula 1 and the FIA continue to work closely with affected promoters and local authorities to monitor the situation and take the appropriate amount of time to study the viability of potential alternative dates for each Grand Prix later in the year should the situation improve.

Formula 1 and the FIA expect to begin the 2020 Championship season as soon as it’s safe to do so after May and will continue to regularly monitor the ongoing COVID-19 situation.

quote:

5.4 The maximum number of Events in the Championship is 22, the minimum is 8.

quote:

F1, the FIA and all 10 teams have unanimously agreed to delay the introduction of the 2021 technical regulations by a year to 2022…

The stakeholders held a conference call on Thursday to discuss the coronavirus pandemic and its impacts on the sport.

They decided that the best course of action was to delay the introduction of the technical rules until 2022, with the 2020 rules applying into 2021.

It is hoped that this will ease the financial burden on the teams, particularly at a time when their income may be reduced because of fewer races this year.

“All parties further discussed the current situation of the 2020 championship and how the sport will react to the ongoing challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said the FIA in a statement.

“Due to the currently volatile financial situation this has created, it has been agreed that teams will use their 2020 chassis for 2021, with the potential freezing of further components to be discussed in due course.

“The introduction and implementation of the financial regulations will go ahead as planned in 2021, and discussions remain ongoing between the FIA, Formula 1 and all teams regarding further ways to make significant cost savings.

“All teams expressed their support for the FIA and Formula 1 in their ongoing efforts to restructure the 2020 calendar as the global situation regarding COVID-19 develops.

“All of these commitments will be referred to the relevant governing structures for final ratification.”

quote:

For the first time since 1954, Monaco’s streets will not echo to the sound of F1 machinery after the Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM) announced the cancellation of this year’s Monaco Grand Prix.

It had earlier been announced that the race had been postponed, along with the Dutch and Spanish Grands Prix, but the ACM have since clarified that “with great sadness” the race will be cancelled.

quote:

Baku City Circuit (BCC) has today taken the decision to postpone the FORMULA 1 AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX 2020 due to take place on June 5th – 7th.

The postponement was agreed upon after extensive discussions with Formula 1 as well as the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and the Government of the Azerbaijan Republic. This comes as a direct result of the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic and has been based entirely on the expert guidance provided to us by the relevant authorities.

In coming to this conclusion, BCC’s primary concern throughout has been the health and well-being of the Azerbaijani people as well as all visiting F1 fans, staff and championship participants.

BCC shares its fans disappointment at not being able to experience the pinnacle of motorsport race through the streets of Baku this June. To that end, we will continue to work closely with Formula 1, the FIA and the Government of the Azerbaijan Republic to monitor the situation with a view to announcing a new race date later in the 2020 season.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
Canada is the next scheduled race, on 6/14/2020.
What's your guess on how long until it, too, is cancelled/postponed?

quote:

Originally posted by 280nosler:

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
Canada is the next scheduled race, on 6/14/2020.
What's your guess on how long until it, too, is cancelled/postponed?

It takes 3 weeks to set up the event, and 3-4 weeks to get goods packaged from HQ to be sent. My guess is that they pull the plug 30 days before that drop dead date, or another words mid May. Red Bull is notorious for having upgrades done, produced, and shipped within 18 days, but I think that is the exception, not the rule.

A better questions is wether you halt all work, scrub the year, and have teams show up next year with this year's car. Only one that would be hurt any this would be McLaren (who is changing engines at the end of the year).

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
McLaren has said they are proceeding with MBZ power for 2021, and are having to develop the 2020 car to fit the MBZ PU.

quote:

Next year will see two famous brands reignite a relationship that brought them plenty of success in the past, as McLaren take on Mercedes power units. However, the coronavirus pandemic has made it a slightly trickier proposition…

Last week, F1, the FIA and the championship’s 10 teams opted to delay the introduction of the revolutionary 2021 technical regulations by a year with the 2020 chassis being carried over into next year to save costs in a financially challenging time.

McLaren, who currently run Renault power units, had been planning their 2021 design with the architecture of the Mercedes power unit in mind, but they now have to spend resource accommodating it in the 2020 chassis.

Despite the challenge, the iconic British team are pushing on with the change. “We will be using the Mercedes engine in 2021 as planned and we will accommodate it in the current base chassis,” said McLaren in a statement.

quote:

we and our partners fully expect the season to start at some point this summer, with a revised calendar of between 15-18 races.

As previously announced we will utilise the summer break being brought forward to March/April to race during the normal summer break period, and anticipate the season end date will extend beyond our original end date of 27-29th November, with the actual sequence and schedule dates for races differing significantly from our original 2020 calendar.