Start, Bahrain International Circuit, 2021

2021 F1 calendar

The first draft of the 2021 F1 calendar was published by Formula 1 on November 10th 2020. However ongoing disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic meant revisions were necessary long after the season began.

While the 2020 season had been heavily delayed and curtailed, from the outset F1 stated its intention of running a more normal schedule in 2021, albeit with a record-breaking 23 races.

The first of those had to be postponed, however. The Australian Grand Prix was delayed until November, and Bahrain became the new opening race. The season began there on March 28th, following three days of testing at the same Bahrain International Circuit.

The Australian round was later cancelled, joining a host of other races beyond F1’s European heartland which were scratched from the schedule. These also included China, whose race was called off early in the season, Canada, Singapore and Japan – the latter coming despite the Tokyo Olympics going ahead while the country was in a statement of emergency.

The Canadian round was originally replaced by a new race in Turkey, but within 16 days F1’s trip to Istanbul had also been called off as the rising Covid-19 infection rate led the British government to impose severe travel restrictions. An extra race in Austria was added instead.

However the later cancellation of Singapore’s round of the world championship opened up a new space on the calendar which was taken by Turkey.

After the season began in Bahrain the championship raced at Imola in Italy, replacing China. The original calendar also included a race at an undetermined venue which, three weeks before the season was due to begin, was confirmed as the Autodromo do Algarve in Portugal.

The cancelled race in Australia was eventually replaced by F1’s first race in Qatar. However no replacement was arranged for Japan’s round, meaning the final calendar was shortened to 22 races.

The 73rd running of the world championship will also see the addition of a new race in Saudi Arabia on the streets of Jeddah. The Dutch Grand Prix, which was supposed to return at Zandvoort in 2020 but fell foul of the pandemic, was confirmed for a September date.

However other new races the sport aspired to hold in Miami, USA and Hanoi, Vietnam did not join the schedule as hoped.

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2021 F1 calendar of races

RoundRaceCircuitDateForum
1Bahrain Grand PrixBahrain International CircuitMar 26-28Forum
2Emilia-Romagna Grand PrixImolaApr 16-18Forum
3Portuguese Grand PrixAutodromo do AlgarveApr 30-May 2Forum
4Spanish Grand PrixCircuit de CatalunyaMay 7-9Forum
5Monaco Grand PrixMonacoMay 20-23Forum
6Azerbaijan Grand PrixBaku City CircuitJun 4-6Forum
7French Grand PrixPaul RicardJun 18-20Forum
8Styrian Grand PrixRed Bull RingJun 25-27Forum
9Austrian Grand PrixRed Bull RingJul 2-4Forum
10British Grand PrixSilverstoneJul 16-18Forum
11Hungarian Grand PrixHungaroringJul 30-Aug 1Forum
12Belgian Grand PrixSpa-FrancorchampsAug 27-29Forum
13Dutch Grand PrixZandvoortSep 3-5Forum
14Italian Grand PrixMonzaSep 10-12Forum
15Russian Grand PrixSochi AutodromSep 24-26Forum
16Turkish Grand PrixIstanbul ParkOct 8-10Forum
17United States Grand PrixCircuit of the AmericasOct 22-24Forum
18Mexico City Grand PrixAutodromo Hermanos RodriguezNov 5-7Forum
19Sao Paulo Grand PrixInterlagosNov 12-14Forum
20Qatar Grand PrixLosail International CircuitNov 19-21
21Saudi Arabian Grand PrixJeddah Corniche CircuitDec 3-5Forum
22Abu Dhabi Grand PrixYas MarinaDec 10-12Forum

Testing dates

Pre-season testing has been reduced from six days to three for the 2021 championship. A single three-day test will be held at Bahrain International Circuit from March 12th to 14th.

Add the 2021 calendar to your device

The dates for the 2021 races, tests and car launches announced so far have been added to the RaceFans F1 calendar. This will be updated when further details are issued.

Import the race dates to your preferred calendar via this link:

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What new races will be on the calendar?

A new track in Miami could join the 2021 F1 calendar
Miami had hoped to join the 2021 F1 calendar

Formula 1 has confirmed a new night race will take place on the streets of Jeddah. The first Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will take place on December 5th.

In October 2019 F1 announced ‘agreement in principle’ to hold a race on a new circuit at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. It intended to hold the race in May, but no further details have been confirmed.

The Vietnam Grand Prix, which was supposed to take place for the first time in 2020 but was cancelled due to the pandemic, will not go ahead in 2021.

Get the latest on next year’s F1 calendar

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More F1 calendars

The calendar has more than tripled in length since the world championship began. The first F1 season took place in 1950, when seven races were held. By 2020 the schedule had grown to 22 world championship grands prix.