Formula 1 reveals record 22-race calendar for 2020

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Formula 1 has released its 'bursting at the seams' 2020 calendar which will include a record 22 races and two new venues.

The schedule will kick off on March 15 in Melbourne and conclude on November 29 in Abu Dhabi.

Hanoi in Vietnam and Zandvoort in the Netherlands - an F1 returnee rather than a new track - have been allocated early spring dates, with the former race taking place on April 5 and the latter on May 3.

The Italian GP at Monza is on the docket although the event's promoters have yet to formalize their agreement with F1.

Hockenheim however has predictably disappeared while Barcelona has survived to host F1 for another year.

Ferrari: Calendar expansion and budget cap hard to blend

Boosting the sport's agenda from 21 to 22 events required a fair amount of tweaking and has led to no less than seven double-header weekends!

Sakhir will follow Melbourne at the start of the season, Barcelona will follow Zandvoort in May, Azerbaijan and Canada will take place in June just one week apart, as will France and Austria, Belgium and Italy, Singapore and Russia, and the USA and Mexico.

Liberty Media, F1's commercial rights holder, had to seek permission from teams to boost the calendar beyond its authorized maximum number of 21 races.

Teams obviously profit from the raise as an extra race brings in additional revenue.

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.