The 2020 Season

[Penfold]

We've made it to October and tradition dictates that it's time for a new 'Season' thread, so here it is.

Twenty two races on the calendar (though Vietnam & Zandvoort still need to be approved by FIA track inspectors), meaning we are now short two drivers for the MF1 game.  Slightly odd choice to put Azerbaijan & Canada back-to-back.

1.  Australia       - March 15
2.  Bahrain         - March 22
3.  Vietnam        - April 5
4.  China            - April 19
5.  Netherlands  - May 3
6.  Spain             - May 10
7.  Monaco          - May 24
8.  Azerbaijan     - June 7
9.  Canada          - June 14
10. France           - June 28
11. Austria          - July 5
12. U.K.               - July 19
13. Hungary        - Aug. 2
14. Belgium         - Aug. 30
15. Italy               - Sept. 6
16. Singapore      - Sept. 20
17. Russia            - Sept. 27
18. Japan             - Oct. 11
19. U.S.A.             - Oct. 25
20. Mexico            - Nov. 1
21. Brazil              - Nov. 15
22. Abu Dhabi       - Nov. 29

[Chrill]

This year, the last race is a "re-use a third driver who scored poorly".

Either, we have two of those races for the coming season, or we get to pick two races during 2020 where we do not run a third driver at all.

[Chrill]

Someone with virtually no chance to race in F1 will drive a Toro Rosso in FP1 at Suzuka. He's Japanese, obviously.
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/yamamoto-toro-rosso-suzuka-practice/4553957/

PR stunt? Yeah. Possibility to replace someone at Toro Rosso for 2020? I'd say about 2%.

[Penfold]

I'd say that sounds generous....

Re. MF1: I imagine that for 2020 we'll re-use two drivers who scored poorly, to me that's the best way of dealing with this surfeit of races/shortage of teams.

[Chrill]

https://www.racefans.net/2020/01/30/fia-closely-monitoring-coronavirus-threat-to-f1-and-other-races/

The FIA is monitoring developments of the coronavirus in China. Shanghai is some 500km east of Wuhan, where the virus broke out, and this could effect the race depending on how the outbreak develops.

The Indoor Athletics World Championship was postponed to next year, so the virus has already had an effect on international sporting events.

[Penfold]

Next month's Formula E race in Sanya has been pulled, as one would expect given events in China, but there is talk that they might try and slip the race in at a later date.  The F1 race organisers meanwhile are said to be eyeing up a switch with the Russian GP; whilst the Vietnamese are also now "actively monitoring" the potential impact of Mr. Coronavirus on their debut race.

[Chrill]

Well, even though Mr. Corona (not to be confused with the popular Mexican alcoholic beverage) is a fairly lenient strain of virus, 2% of the infected seem to die. Considering the number of people working in and around F1, as well as the spectator numbers in China, hosting a race there in April does come across as pretty dumb.

Vietnam has not been struck hard yet, and have recorded only a few infected (as has most of the world really). The Vietnamese GP is not currently at risk, but obviously monitoring the situation is healthy.

I would not mind a last minute Sepang return in place of Shanghai.

[Chrill]

Let us update the calendar.

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.chinese-grand-prix-postponed-due-to-novel-coronavirus-outbreak.3g2y5Ngyrk1MbNxQB9hj4s.html

1.  Australia       - March 15
2.  Bahrain         - March 22
3.  Vietnam        - April 5
4.  China            - April 19
5.  Netherlands  - May 3
6.  Spain             - May 10
7.  Monaco          - May 24
8.  Azerbaijan     - June 7
9.  Canada          - June 14
10. France           - June 28
11. Austria          - July 5
12. U.K.               - July 19
13. Hungary        - Aug. 2
14. Belgium         - Aug. 30
15. Italy               - Sept. 6
16. Singapore      - Sept. 20
17. Russia            - Sept. 27
18. Japan             - Oct. 11
19. U.S.A.             - Oct. 25
20. Mexico            - Nov. 1
21. Brazil              - Nov. 15
22. Abu Dhabi       - Nov. 29

[Penfold]

Officially the race is merely postponed with the hope of rescheduling for later this year (assuming Covid-19 plays ball), but the likelihood of squeezing the race back into the calendar seems slim at best.  Mr. RaceFans has taken a gander at the possible slots for a Chinese GP:

"RaceFans understands four alternative dates came under review, but all face serious obstacles. Staging the race during F1's summer break would requires unanimity from teams as F1's sporting regulations call for a statutory break in August. A quadruple-header of Singapore-Russia-China-Japan was deemed logistically too complex.

The race could be slotted into the schedule either before or after the current finale at Yas Marina. But Abu Dhabi is believed to pay a premium for the honour of staging the final race, and is unlikely to waive it. Plus December weather in Shanghai is not exactly ideal for a grand prix, with daytime average highs of just 8C.

The final alternative, a Brazil-China-Abu Dhabi triple-header is also problematic given the implications of time zone swings. Plus, of course, team will be gearing up for F1's new 2021 era, meaning spare parts will be at a premium, and Shanghai's weather is only marginally warmer in November. Pushing Abu Dhabi's date out by a week has implications on fans who have already booked flights and accommodation.

Thus, it seems, that the 2020 Chinese Grand Prix is likely to remain indefinitely 'postponed'."

[Chrill]

Quadruple header, post-Abu Dhabi, or rescheduling other races. None of those will happen.

[Penfold]

... And they shouldn't try and stick it in the summer break, either.

[Chrill]

Could we lose Vietnam too?

https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/51486367

Ross Brawn says no, but then yesterday a Vietnamese village was quarantined due to the Coronavirus. That is the first quarantine outside of China, so that is worrisome.

[Penfold]

We can't lose Vietnam, there'll be a gap in the calendar that would make Formula E blush!  On a serious note, hopefully the Vietnamese have nipped it in the bud, they're still at only 16 reported cases so not exactly rampant.

[Chrill]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/imola-offers-replace-cancelled-china/4687179/

Imola wants to replace Shanghai, whilst admitting themselves that such a replacement at this short notice is nearly impossible.

[Penfold]

Current thinking is that Abu Dhabi could be nudged back a week to allow for a cold, late-November run around Shanghai - they are as keen as mustard to have a 2020 Chinese GP.

Just in case anyone was concerned Mercedes might struggle for wins this year, uncle Allison waxes lyrical about how much more downforce the new car is generating.  Oh yeah, there's also been a bump in horsepower and the engine can now run at higher temps so smaller radiators needed:  https://www.racefans.net/2020/02/23/new-mercedes-streaks-ahead-of-last-year-in-terms-of-downforce/