Formula 1 2020: Turkish, Bahrain, Sakhir, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix added to 2020 season – 17 races in total

Four more races have been announced by Formula 1 for the 2020 season, bringing the total number to 17. The first of the new additions is the Turkish Grand Prix on November 15, marking the first time since 2011 that the Intercity Istanbul Park will host the event.

This will be followed by a back-to-back double header in Bahrain, with the Bahrain Grand Prix set to take place on November 29, and the Sakhir Grand Prix on December 6. Finally, the 2020 season will come to a close at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which is scheduled to take place the week after on December 13.

Formula 1 initially revealed eight races for the 2020 season, with the starting point being the Austrian Grand Prix in July. The list was expanded to include the Tuscan Grand Prix (Mugello) and Russian Grand Prix (Sochi) later the same month, followed by the Eifel Grand Prix (Nurburgring), Portuguese Grand Prix (Portimao) and Emilia Romagna Grand Prix (Imola).

It also been confirmed that the Chinese Grand Prix that was initially postponed earlier this year will be cancelled for 2020. “We can confirm that Turkey, Bahrain (hosting two races), and Abu Dhabi will be part of the revised season and want to express our thanks to the hard work of all our promoters and partners in making this 17-race season possible,” read a statement from Formula 1.

“Sadly, we will not be racing in China this season and want to thank our partner Juss Sports for their support and engagement in recent months and hugely look forward to returning to Shanghai next year,” it continued.

The motorsport is also seeking to bring in fans to selected races in limited numbers, including hospitality, and are working to finalise details. “While we want to see as many fans as possible return as soon as it is safe to do so, our priority remains the safety of the Formula 1 community and the communities we visit, and we review fan access on this basis,” it said.

“Due to the ongoing fluidity of the COVID-19 pandemic we continue to maintain close dialogue with all promoters and local authorities to ensure we operate in the safest way possible and monitor each national situation closely – including travel restrictions and local health procedures,” it added.

Meanwhile, chairman and CEO of Formula 1, Chase Carey, said, “we are proud to announce that Turkey, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi will be part of our 2020 season. This year has presented Formula 1 and the world with an unprecedented challenge and we want to pay tribute to everyone across Formula 1, the FIA, the teams, and our partners who have made this possible.”

“While we are all disappointed that we have not been able to return to some of our planned races this year we are confident our season has started well and will continue to deliver plenty of excitement with traditional, as well as new, races that will entertain all our fans,” he added.

The post Formula 1 2020: Turkish, Bahrain, Sakhir, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix added to 2020 season – 17 races in total appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

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