Where F1's calendar shuffling hurts its new drivers

OPINION: Formula 1 endured major scheduling challenges thanks to the pandemic in 2020, but still managed to save its season. These difficulties remain in 2021 and create a tough knock-on effect for the championship's new arrivals.

Alex Kalinauckas Jan 27, 2021, 12:52 PM

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Sometimes, life needs something new, something different.

In 2020, one of the very few upsides to the hideous impact of the coronavirus pandemic was that, in terms of the schedule at least, Formula 1 had a dose of variety thrown in. Of course this came at a cost, for the championship's business model thrives on tracks and certain countries paying to host races, but it did provide a variance flavour. The Nurburgring, Imola and Istanbul returned, while Mugello, Portimao and the Bahrain 'outer loop' made first-time appearances.

The necessary changes to F1's schedule were painful as 'normality' evaporated, but the variation it provided reinforced its value - which applies across all of sport - as escapism. How excellent it was to wonder about what racing the Mugello's brutal nature would provide when F1 rocked up at the MotoGP paradise.

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Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.