Formula 1 is set to expand to a record-breaking 22 events in 2020, with the inclusion of Spain, return of the Netherlands, and arrival of Vietnam.
Formula 1 owners Liberty Media had previously informed teams that a 21-race calendar would be retained, with the Netherlands and Vietnam replacing Spain and Germany.
But the Catalan government has given the green-light to fund a 2020 grand prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, enabling the race to remain while long-term negotiations can take place.
An agreement between Liberty Media and officials in Spain has not yet been concluded but Motorsport Week understands that the race will be retained on a one-year deal.
Germany is set to drop from the calendar off the back of its one-year extension for 2019, which was predominantly funded by title sponsor Mercedes.
Mexico and Italy are set to join Britain in receiving new deals beyond 2019.
One agreement that needs to be reached with Formula 1 teams is the number of engines that will be permitted should the calendar expand to 22 grands prix.
Formula 1 teams are currently permitted three engines per season per car, though under a 22-race calendar there is a chance this could be expanded to four engines.
This would potentially leave customer teams in taking on a bigger financial hit.
“One of my things, we need to keep it to three engines,” said Haas boss Guenther Steiner. “If you introduce a fourth engine, it doesn’t make sense for us financially.
“Actually it is negative for us so why would we do that. But that is down to the engine manufacturer to say yes or no. If they are confident we can do it with three engines, then I am fine with it.”
One other issue facing Liberty Media and the FIA is the exact composition of the calendar.
Only Australia, on March 15, currently has a date, though Bahrain is expected to follow two weeks later, while Abu Dhabi will be retained as the season finale.
Vietnam has a provisional April date but is likely to be a standalone round due to the potential logistics of getting freight into a country that Formula 1 has never visited.
This would potentially mean the Netherlands takes up a date on the second weekend of May, effectively replacing Spain, meaning Barcelona may need to shift to later in the year, for Monaco’s date is fixed.
However, should Vietnam and China be able to run back-to-back in April, it frees up the opening two weekends of May for the Netherlands and Spain to form a double-header, prior to Monaco.
Baku is set to run back-to-back with Canada, though the order has yet to be determined, while Britain is likely to run as a standalone round in late June, amid concerns over Brexit.
This year’s British Grand Prix ran as a standalone event over customs fears in the wake of its departure from the European Union, but now next year’s race is set to be the first post-Brexit, after politicians shifted the planned exit date from March 29 to October 31.
The second half of the 2020 calendar is likely to be similar in structure to 2019.
