MAY 12, 2020

Carey eyes full 22-race calendar for 2021

Notwithstanding F1's decimated race calendar for 2020, Chase Carey says he is determined to put together a full schedule of grands prix for 2021.

Notwithstanding F1's decimated race calendar for 2020, Chase Carey says he is determined to put together a full schedule of grands prix for 2021.

The American heads the sport's owner Liberty Media, who according to Auto Motor und Sport has already advanced survival payments to Haas, Alfa Romeo, Racing Point, Alpha Tauri and even Renault.

But Carey says the goal is for a full 22 races in 2021.

"Our goal is to have 2021 look like the 2021 we planned back in January," he said.

When asked if the goal is 22 races, as was intended for 2020, Carey answered: "We don't have a magic number, but the answer is yes."

Getting a new calendar up and running for 2020, however, is a vastly different matter.

Austria looks set to go ahead in July, but Liberty is reportedly in a dispute with Silverstone, who instead of paying an annual fee of about $18 million actually want to be paid that amount to hold a 'ghost race'.

Carey said last week: "Whether it's the teams or promoters or sponsors, we're not going to be handing out candy to everybody.

"We're going to expect to be treated fairly, but we're going to deal with it as adults and with the expectation that 2021 is going to look like the business that we all knew four months ago."

Boosting Silverstone's chances is British PM Boris Johnson's announcement that, from June, sports events without spectators should be able to be held in the country.

(GMM)