Reporter is certain: 'That's where we're going to start the F1 season 2021'

F1 News

16 October 2020 at 22:08
Last update 16 October 2020 at 22:49
  • GPblog.com

The coronavirus has thrown the 2020 F1 season into quite a mess. Unfortunately, the world will probably not be rid of the pandemic by 2021 either. Formula 1 is taking this into account and is doing everything in its planning to avoid problems this season.

Earlier this year, F1 arrived in Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix at a time when the coronavirus was already quite widespread. 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.

Now that the situation has been better controlled with the help of strict measures, F1 will try again in 2021 at Albert Park. "We are going to start in Melbourne," says F1 reporter Jack Plooij in Formula 1 Café on Ziggo sport.

From Abu Dhabi to Australia

"I have heard that from FOM. That was told on the grid last time. Someone from the FOM said 'because we have something to make up in Melbourne. We did not get that right last time'. So on 21 March 2021 we are going to go."

The presenter then assumed that a later date was chosen to give the teams time to test, but that puts Plooij straight. "That testing is not going to happen. It's not planned, we're not going to test next year. After Abu Dhabi everything will be locked up and then we will start again in Melbourne."

Plooij seems pretty certain, but the Dutchman is a commentator, not a politician, doctor or race organiser, so we will see what happens.