The Spanish Grand Prix will retain a place on the F1 schedule next year. There had been "doubt about the future of the event at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya because of financial troubles." But local government funding has been retained to secure the '20 race. Only Germany is "set to drop off this year's 21-race schedule." F1 execs are "struggling to squeeze" the sport's longest ever season into the nine months between March 15 and the final race in Abu Dhabi in late November or early December. F1 CEO Chase Carey said that negotiations would "continue with the Catalan government in the coming months with a view to extending the new contract" beyond '20 (BBC, 8/27).
The ordering of next year's races "remains unclear at this stage." Spain has "traditionally been the race to start the European leg of the season" (ESPN.com, 8/27). Organizers of the Spanish F1 GP will reportedly pay nearly $26.6M for next year's race (EL MUNDO, 8/27). The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya suffered losses of around €7.5M in '17 and '18 (EL CONFIDENCIAL, 8/27).
Meanwhile, a new F1 team, Panthera Team Asia F1, is reportedly looking to "join the grid in time" for the '21 season. The team is operating out of a temporary HQ near Silverstone, a source said. Benjamin Durand, who was previously managing director of SMP Racing and BR Engineering, is one of Panthera's co-founders (RACE FANS, 8/23).
