"We are going to start in Melbourne," says F1 reporter Jack Plooij in Formula 1 Café on Ziggo sport. It will give us the headache of how to pick the right one and how to keep developing the other ones, but it’s a good headache to have.”, READ MORE: Ferrari juniors Schumacher, Ilott and Shwartzman reflect on ‘unforgettable’ Fiorano test. We did not get that right last time'. Be there for the final race of the season at the impressive Yas Marina Circuit with an Official Ticket Package from F1 Experiences. In the Ferrari... More and more teams know which drivers will be there in 2021. Thanks to their affiliation with Alfa Romeo, Ferrari will definitely have at least one Ferrari Driver Academy member or graduate in Formula 1 next year, whether that’s Mick Schumacher, Callum Ilott, Robert Shwartzman or Alfa Romeo’s incumbent driver Antonio Giovinazzi. The coronavirus has thrown the 2020 F1 season into quite a mess. 'I doubt that', Verstappen won't leave it at that: "We're going to talk about it". F1 thought it could start the first GP weekend as if nothing had happened, but even before the first free practice it had to admit that it was not going to work out. You will be logged out and redirected to the homepage. The 2021 F1 calendar has not been officially confirmed yet. This weekend the Algarve International Circuit in Portimao hosts a Grand Prix for the first time and that means... After almost six seasons of Formula 1, Max Verstappen is one of the sport's biggest stars. © 2020 Autosport International B.V. All rights reserved. But with an F1 calendar of six races remaining, and consisting mostly of new or returning tracks, or dates that conflict with the drivers’ F2 duties, Mekies revealed a plan to try and get Schumacher and Ilott to run in the FP1 session at Abu Dhabi (where Shwartzman is currently set to drive for Haas) – while adding that Ferrari also had the option of running them in the post-race Young Driver Test. “The [drivers] did a huge job in trying to dominate such a difficult championship as Formula 2. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is set to change dates this year as Formula 1 targets a new calendar of races. “If you look at the calendar, there is no chance before Abu Dhabi,” says Mekies when asked when they could theoretically get Schumacher and Ilott back in at Alfa Romeo and Haas. Plooij seems pretty certain, but the Dutchman is a commentator, not a politician, doctor or race organiser, so we will see what happens. Now that the situation has been better controlled with the help of strict measures, F1 will try again in 2021 at Albert Park. Find out more Earlier this year, F1 arrived in Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix at a time when the coronavirus was already quite widespread. In fairness, it’s a new track, nobody went there, and you would not want to lose your FP1. You can immediately use your account and comment on the news items. The team from Maranello are therefore leaving nothing... Haas is one of the teams of which it is not yet clear who will be in the car next year. Now that the situation has been better controlled with the help of strict measures, F1 will try again in 2021 at Albert Park. It’s very emotional to see them in an F1 car; we ran them in Fiorano a few weeks ago, we are just about to witness their debuts. Early races are expected to take place without fans but fans will be welcomed back later in the season, including the traditional season ending race in Abu Dhabi. But with an F1 calendar of six races remaining, and consisting mostly of new or returning tracks, or dates that conflict with the drivers’ F2 duties, Mekies revealed a plan to try and get Schumacher and Ilott to run in the FP1 session at Abu Dhabi (where Shwartzman is currently set to drive for Haas) – while adding that Ferrari also had the option of running them in the … That was told on the grid last time. DRIVER MARKET: Ilott not on Haas’s list, as Grosjean and Magnussen continue to sweat on their futures. “I think because they are going to race in Bahrain [in the final two rounds of the F2 championship], and we don’t want to disturb them as they are fighting for the titles, the only chance is in Abu Dhabi, so we will be discussing with both Alfa Romeo and Haas to see what is possible. It is one of the biggest questions currently occupying Formula 1 fans, who will be Max Verstappen's teammate at... Ferrari are keen to return to the front of the grid. Qualifying modes ban has brought Red Bull ‘a step closer’ to Mercedes, says Shovlin, Covid-19 restrictions making team bonding ‘a lot more difficult’, says Hamilton, TRENDING TOPICS: A new track for F1, driver moves, and more talking points ahead of the Portuguese GP, WATCH: First lap chaos and Mansell takes out Senna – 5 shocking Portuguese GP moments, Still a lot more to come from ‘maturing’ Verstappen, says Red Bull boss Horner. TBD, 2021. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is the last race of the season. Unfortunately, the world will probably not be rid of the pandemic by 2021 either. "Would be a brilliant lineup", Racing Point baffled by Ferrari's fuel problems, Renault already benefitting from Alonso involvement in pursuit of P3, Marko confirms Red Bull's engine plans: 'Want to prepare Honda engine ourselves', Brawn: 'If the sport evolves, we can approach Honda again', Would Mick Schumacher have made it to F1 without his last name? This weekend the Formula 1 returns to Portugal, this time on the Algarve circuit near Portimao. FORMULA 1 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX 2021. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021 Dates are TBC. And just after that there is the Young Driver Test...”. Ferrari prep Portimao upgrades as Binotto says development is 'going in the right direction', Schumacher and Hamilton ‘more similar than you might believe’, says Mercedes’ Shovlin, Mercedes say DAS 'came into its own' in cold Eifel GP where it was used 'more than ever', F1 will be 'difficult to let go of' says Hamilton as he stands on verge of record 92nd win, © 2003-2020 Formula One World Championship Limited, Shwartzman is currently set to drive for Haas. Someone from the FOM said 'because we have something to make up in Melbourne. The end of Daniil Kvyat's Formula 1 career now really seems imminent. You know that they have been dominating already last year the Formula 3 championship, so there is a trend there where we trust that these guys are on the right path. F1 CEO Chase Carey gave race fans an update on plans to restart the season this year in July. Take Advantage of our flexible payment terms. However based on details announced previously we already know of at least 17 races which are expected to take place in the 73rd running of the world championship. Racing Point are P3 and are followed by McLaren... Sebastian Vettel will bid farewell to Scuderia Ferrari in 2020. “We’re at the stage where these guys are coming close to F1. DRIVER MARKET: What will Alfa Romeo’s line-up look like in 2021? The Italian team with Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc behind the wheel... Because of the coronavirus, 2020 is a slightly different season to say the least. “I don’t think [Portimao is an option]. Listen to Mekies discussing the prospects of the Ferrari Driver Academy members on F1 Nation in the player above, or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favourite podcasting platform – and vote below to let us know which driver YOU think will be on the grid next year. "I have heard that from FOM. Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. This grand finale will make for an incredible race and a truly unique Grand Prix experience. Sebastian Vettel embarks on a new adventure with Aston Martin, the current Racing Point, in 2021. "That testing is not going to happen. Schumacher, Ilott and Shwartzman all sit in the top five of the Formula 2 championship currently, with two rounds to go – Schumacher leading the way with Ilott second, while reigning F3 champion Shwartzman sits fifth. “The Academy has been working very well this year,” Mekies told host Tom Clarkson. After Abu Dhabi everything will be locked up and then we will start again in Melbourne.". Ferrari’s decision would probably have been made easier had they had a chance to witness Schumacher and Ilott making their Grand Prix weekend debuts for Alfa Romeo and Haas respectively in Free Practice 1 at the Eifel Grand Prix, before bad weather scuppered those chances – while Giovinazzi then muddied the decision-making waters further by making his first Q2 appearance of 2020 at the Nurburgring and scoring his first points since the Austrian Grand Prix on race day. We will try to be fair and reasonable with our partners and I don’t think it will be to run them on a completely new track where nobody has any data whatsoever. But choosing which one gets the nod will be a “headache”, according to Ferrari’s Sporting Director Laurent Mekies - who also says the team are looking at rearranging Schmacher and Ilott's first FP1 runs after weather caused the sessions to be abandoned at the Eifel GP. "We are going to start in Melbourne," says F1 reporter Jack Plooij in Formula 1 Café on Ziggo sport. It's not planned, we're not going to test next year. There have been rumours for some time about what next season's calendar will look like. Thank you for signing up! So on 21 March 2021 we are going to go. On his debut in 2015... Ferrari are having a difficult season. ", The presenter then assumed that a later date was chosen to give the teams time to test, but that puts Plooij straight. It's tense in the fight for P3 in the Constructors' Championship. Whether or not it is possible remains to be seen, but we will be trying very hard to give them that chance. There is still a lot of... Berger reveals who his GOAT of Formula 1 is, Magnussen at Red Bull next to Verstappen?