The Turkish Grand Prix will not take place on June 13 due to the worsening COVID-19 situation in the country, with Austria getting a second 2021 F1 race instead.
The news follows travel restrictions being imposed on Turkey by the UK, where seven of F1’s 10 teams are based. As with the Chinese Grand Prix, F1 is open to the prospect of rescheduling Turkey’s event for later in the season if circumstances allow.
Turkey was added to the schedule only recently, as a replacement for the Canadian Grand Prix.
Turkey’s cancellation has led to a slight reshuffle of the 2021 schedule, with a France-Austria-Austria triple-header taking place across three weeks.
That will be achieved by the French Grand Prix moving from June 27 to June 20, with its original slot on the calendar given to the Styrian Grand Prix in Austria. The Austrian Grand Prix remains in the same place on the calendar, July 4, to finish off the triple-header.
The second Austria race means the 2021 calendar still has 23 races.
Remaining F1 schedule as it stands:
May 23 – Monaco GP, Monte Carlo
June 6 – Azerbaijan GP, Baku
June 20 – French GP, Paul Ricard
June 27 – Styrian GP, Red Bull Ring
July 4 – Austrian GP, Red Bull Ring
July 18 – British GP, Silverstone
Aug. 1 – Hungarian GP, Budapest
Aug. 29 – Belgian GP, Spa-Francorchamps
Sept. 5 – Dutch GP, Zandvoort
Sept. 12 – Italian GP, Monza
Sept. 26 – Russian GP, Sochi
Oct. 3 – Singapore GP, Marina Bay
Oct. 10 – Japanese GP, Suzuka
Oct. 24 – U.S. GP, Austin
Oct. 31 – Mexican GP, Mexico City
Nov. 7 – Brazilian GP, Sao Paulo
Nov. 21 – Australian GP, Melbourne
Dec. 5 – Saudi Arabian GP, Jeddah
Dec. 12 – Abu Dhabi GP, Yas Marina
Austria hosted two races to open the makeshift 2020 F1 season, which was delayed by the pandemic. In its announcement Friday, F1 thanked Austria race promoters for their enthusiasm to do the same again this year, as well as France’s flexibility in changing its date just a month out from its event.
Last year’s Turkish Grand Prix was the first at Istanbul Park since 2010. Lewis Hamilton won the race to claim his record-equaling seventh world championship.