Formula 1 has confirmed that it will visit Mugello for the inaugural Tuscan Grand Prix in September, while Russia has kept its original date on the schedule.
The coronavirus pandemic forced Formula 1 to heavily revised its original 22-race 2020 season, which began in Austria last weekend, the first of the initial eight confirmed events.
Formula 1 remains hopeful of holding 15-18 races and this figure has now been raised to 10 after Friday’s announcement of events at Mugello and Sochi.
Mugello’s race will take place after the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, on September 13, making it the last in a triple-header that begins at Spa-Francorchamps, in Belgium.
Formula 1 has never raced at Mugello though the venue holds a Grade 1 license from the FIA and hosted an in-season test during the 2012 season.
It will be the 1000th Formula 1 grand prix for Ferrari at a venue which it owns.
Mugello has been the permanent host of Motorcycling’s Italian Grand Prix since 1994 though its 2020 edition was cancelled.
It will mark the first time since 2012 that one country has had two events at different circuits, when Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and Valencia Street Circuit both held Formula 1 rounds in Spain.
Italy previously hosted two races annually between 1981 and 2006, when Imola joined Monza as a permanent host venue, under the San Marino moniker.
Russia’s Sochi Autodrom joined the calendar in 2014 and its 2020 event will take place as originally scheduled on September 27.
Formula 1 has yet to confirm the remainder of its calendar though is expected to conclude with grands prix in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi.
Formula 2 and Formula 3 will both race at Mugello, with the tertiary series bringing its season to a close at that round, while Formula 2 is set to add further events.
“We are delighted to announce Mugello and Sochi will be part of the 2020 calendar and want to thank all our partners for their support in recent weeks,” said Formula 1 CEO Chase Carey.
“We had great start to our season in Austria last weekend and we are increasingly confident in our plans to race throughout the remainder of 2020.
“The Russian Grand Prix is a major moment in our season, and we are looking forward to being back in Sochi in September.
“We are equally excited to see Formula 1 race for the first time at Mugello, an occasion that will mark Ferrari’s 1000th Grand Prix.
“Both races will be a huge boost for fans with more announcements on the next races in our calendar coming in the weeks ahead.”
Of the original 22 grands prix only seven have been officially cancelled – Australia, the Netherlands, Monaco, Azerbaijan, France, Singapore and Japan – though several more are due to follow.
Hopes of rescheduling the postponed Chinese Grand Prix were dealt a blow after authorities cancelled most international sporting events that are not related to preparation for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
It is unclear whether Formula 1 falls into that category as the grand prix, along with the ATP’s tennis tournament, is one of Shanghai’s predominant international sporting events.
Formula 1 is thought unlikely to venture to the western hemisphere due to the severity of the coronavirus crisis in the United States, Mexico and Brazil, while the early onset of Canada’s winter is likely to scupper plans to reschedule that event.
Portugal, at Portimao, is being lined up for a date in early October, potentially one week after the Russian Grand Prix.
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