Photo: FIA Formula 2
Formula 2 and FIA Formula 3 Championship have unveiled a calendar for their first eight rounds of the 2020 season.
The two Formula 1-supporting series have had their schedules heavily hit by the global coronavirus pandemic, and efforts to ensure the seasons could get underway and championship status still be met have included back-to-back visits to circuits.
Austria’s Red Bull Ring will host the season opener, racing on July 4/5 as originally planned, and will also hold the second round of the season for both series the week after that. Teams will then head straight to the Hungaroring for races on July 18/19, before a one week break.
After government intervention, the delayed British Grand Prix and its support races will now take place on the first weekend of August, and weekend activities will be repeated the week after. The postponed Barcelona round occurs one week later, before another break and the unchanged trips to Spa-Francorchamps on August 28-30 and Monza on September 4-6.
?First of all, I would like to thank Formula 1 and the FIA for making this revised opening calendar possible in such difficult circumstances,” said F2 and FIA F3’s CEO Bruno Michel.
“I am very pleased to confirm that F2 and F3 will be able to race alongside F1 in the first eight events.
?It is unfortunate that currently we don?t expect fan attendance in these opening events, but we are however glad that we are able to bring them the entertainment of our racing in the safest way possible.
?We will also follow the very detailed safety plan put in place by F1 and the FIA as our priority is to make sure no risks are taken.
?Our 2020 season will continue beyond Monza. We will announce the second part of our calendar as soon as possible.?
All events will run behind closed doors and include frequent testing of paddock members for COVID-19.
For F2 to run with FIA championship status it requires two more rounds, which are expected to be held in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi in December.
Provisional 2020 F2/FIA F3 calendar
| Round | Circuit | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red Bull Ring, Austria | July 3-5 |
| 2 | Red Bull Ring, Austria | July 10-12 |
| 3 | Hungaroring, Hungary | July 17-19 |
| 4 | Silverstone, Great Britain | July 31-August 2 |
| 5 | Silverstone, Great Britain | August 7-9 |
| 6 | Barcelona, Spain | August 14-16 |
| 7 | Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium | August 28-30 |
| 8 | Monza, Italy | September 4-6 |