F1 Calendar Extensions You Might Have Missed

Earlier in the year, in fact in one of our earliest posts on this website, we commented about the contract extension of the Miami Grand Prix. It is quite common for F1 to extend contracts of a circuit whilst the event is going on, as this helps with hyping up the extension and getting local fans excited that their circuit is going to stay on the calendar. As such, we have seen a few changes lately to that schedule.

The first of these extensions came at the Canadian Grand Prix, a circuit that previously held a contract length to 2031, with a two-year extension to accommodate for the COVID-19 pandemic. This is because circuits typically sign up to host a certain number of Grand Prix weekends, rather than a timescale - to avoid exactly this situation where a circuit has committed a huge budget and missed events.

The Canadian Grand Prix has hosted 54 Formula 1 events since the inaugural running in 1967, and is by far one of the better "street circuits" on the calendar for close racing and overtaking. The weather in Montreal usually likes to play a part too, and the racing is pretty good because of it. Legendary corners are everywhere at this circuit and it would be a shame to see it go off the calendar in favour of bigger, more modern street circuits. The Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve is promoted by Octane Racing Group (ORG), who have been busy modernising the circuit for the growing demands of Formula 1 and have agreed to move the event to earlier in the year from 2026 onwards for a more environmentally sustainable calendar.

As such, it came as no surprise that the event received a further extension to 2035, with Stefano Domenicali saying "It is fitting that we have announced the extension with the Canadian Grand Prix, a race that has such history in our sport... I look forward to creating more unforgettable moments in Montreal with you over the next 10 years".

But it wasn't the only track to receive a contract extension this month, as the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring also received a huge extension. Previously having a contract until 2030, Formula 1 announced yesterday that the Grand Prix would continue through to 2041, the same deadline as Miami. It may not have appeared on the calendar as much as the Canadian Grand Prix, only 37 times, but the Austrian Grand Prix has quickly become a staple of the calendar since its return.

The track hosted two Grand Prix in 2020, and has hosted a sprint every year since their introduction barring 2025. The sunny Styrian mountains are the perfect backdrop for Formula 1, allowing clear helicopter shots, a beautiful green background for a sustainable sport, plenty of sun for those solar panels that have appeared on the pit buildings, and so on.

"Austria has long been an incredibly special race for Formula 1 so it's fantastic we have secured the long-term future of a Grand Prix so deeply rooted in the sport's history... Each year, returning to the stunning Styrian mountains is a highlight - an experience that evokes incredible emotion among our drivers, teams, and fans alike, creating an atmosphere unlike any other" said Domenicali.

With that in mind, let's take another look at our table from earlier in the year:

It's highly unlikely we will see a contract extension for Silverstone this weekend, as the circuit is already confirmed to 2034, but anything can happen.