Australian GP rescheduled from March 21 to November 21 2021, Bahrain GP to be season-opener

The Australian Grand Prix has been postponed from March 21 to November 21 due to the travel restrictions still in place in Melbourne, and now the 2021 season will begin with the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sakhir on March 28.

Formula One on Tuesday announced some important changes to the 2021 schedule with the Chinese GP also to be delayed, however the dates for it are yet to be announced.

Strict travel restrictions for the pandemic make Australia and China among the hardest countries for F1 teams to enter.

The season this year will start with the Bahrain GP at Sakhir, less than



four months after the same venue held two races as part of the 2020 season.

A race has been added at the Imola track in Italy on April 18, a week after the scheduled date for the Chinese Grand Prix. There is a vacant slot May 2.

Postponing the Australian GP also means pushing back the end of the season in Abu Dhabi by a week to December 12.

The pandemic has disrupted the F1 season two years running. Last year's race in Australia was canceled after one team member tested positive for the coronavirus. Fans were preparing to enter the circuit at the time for Friday practice.