The postponement of the start of the 2020 Formula 1 season will inevitably have an impact on the 2021 F1 driver transfer market.

Instead of 22 races, there will probably only be 17 Grand Prix races this season. The starting point is likely to be given in Monte Carlo at the end of May. READ MORE ON THIS STORY HERE

Ross Brawn yesterday admitted that despite the best of efforts to reschedule races, it really did depend on how soon the season could start. Inevitably, there would be some losers.

Thus far, the Australian Grand Prix has been cancelled, the Bahrain, Vietnam and China Grand Prix have been postponed, while the Dutch, Spanish and Monaco Grand Prix have not yet been confirmed.

Formula 1 and sport in general are facing an unprecedented situation, as there will be virtually no (or almost no) sporting competitions held in the coming weeks around the world in the face of the coronavirus epidemic.

In addition to the fact that the 2020 F1 World Championship could be shortened dramatically, some collateral damage is to be expected, such as the driver transfer market for the 2021 season, which will also be postponed.

Indeed, the F1 teams were eagerly awaiting the start of the 2020 season to start studying the options available on the drivers’ market and, above all, to closely monitor the performance of each driver during the first five meetings of the year.

By far the loveliest thing I’ve seen today was posted by a member of @McLarenF1 who went shopping in Melbourne to buy her quarantined and isolated colleagues some games consoles and games to see them through the next fortnight. 🧡🧡🧡

— Will Buxton (@wbuxtonofficial) March 14, 2020

Normally, it is around the time of the Spanish Grand Prix, normally scheduled for May 10th, that discussions regarding drivers’ contracts begin each year, but due to the postponement of the start of the season, these discussions are not expected to begin until the end of the summer.

It is, therefore, to be expected that announcements will be made rather late in the season this year, or even during the winter break in the worst case scenario.

As a reminder, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo and Valtteri Bottas will be the main protagonists in the 2020/21 market, with the contracts of these drivers coming to an end at the end of the 2020 season.

Name the year, & the Grand Prix – answers in comments below

Ferrari closes

Ferrari’s Maranello-based plant will cease production for two weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The employees have all been ordered to return home and in agreement with the local trade unions, they should, despite this forced….. READ MORE ON THIS STORY

Guenther Steiner’s post-cancellation interview