A lot left to fight for as F1 season draws to a close

This weekend Formula One moves to the Middle East and the final 2020 triple header, with the first of two rounds at the Bahrain International Circuit.

This Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix will use the full 5.412 km Hermann Tilke-designed circuit, covering just over 308km over 57 laps. With both drivers’ and constructors’ titles settled, all eyes will be on the fight for third spot on the constructors’ table.

Red Bull, second with 240 points, should add to that, following a less-than-spectacular Turkish race. Third is Racing Point on 154. After Lance Stroll’s last-race pole position and Sergio Perez’s current form, they will be a tough team to challenge. Six points back, McLaren will want to improve their fourth.

This could turn out to be one of the best races this season and Pedro de la Rosa’s 2005 1 min 31.447 sec lap record should be broken. Talking of Hermann Tilke designs, it appears another facility will be vying for a round of F1 – the Igora Drive Circuit in St Petersburg awaits FIA approval. Once licensed, it could become a contender for a second race in Russia or an alternative for the Russian Grand Prix, sharing with the Sochi circuit.

After writing last week that 23 races were a limit for the teams, it appears that Chase Carey does not read the same reports as we mere mortals. The soon-to-be-retired Carey informed investors of F1’s future planning during an online meeting, saying: “Looking beyond 2021, we continue to feel great about the excitement from locations around the world in hosting F1. Many locations have expressed great interest in new races and other countries have stronger than ever interest.”

Then he dropped the bombshell: “We expect to move to 24 races in the next few years and will probably rotate a few races so we will be able to accommodate a few new partners.”

It appears the team’s reported dilemma of even managing a 23 race season is being completely ignored by Formula One and Liberty’s management, whose only interest seems to be in the bottom line of their balance sheet. The future of the sport looks like it is once again a secondary issue.

As for “other countries having a stronger than ever interest” one must wonder if the “interest” will reach fruition, as we have yet to see either Miami or Hanoi be more than a calendar entry.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.