RACING NEWS

Calendar unveiled

The 2020 Formula 1 calendar was unveiled ahead of the Belgian GP, with a 22-race schedule forming the category’s longest season so far. As expected, it features the return of the Dutch GP at Zandvoort in May plus an all-new event in Vietnam as round three in April. Germany loses its race, but fellow under-threat events Spain, Britain and Mexico have all sealed new deals and Italy – which currently remains provisional – is expected to. The new Vietnam race will slot in as the third event of the season on April 5, following an Australia-bahrain double-header in March.

Ericsson’s bizarre recall

Marcus Ericsson had a surprise – and ultimately pointless – recall to the F1 paddock at Spa to be on standby for Alfa Romeo amid a concern over whether a pulled leg muscle might prevent Kimi Raikkonen from competing. Ericsson has remained Alfa’s reserve this year alongside his Schmidt Peterson Indycar deal, and had to be replaced by Conor Daly at short notice for the Portland Indycar race as a result. With it rapidly becoming clear that Raikkonen would be fit to race, Ericsson’s US team boss Sam Schmidt said his absent driver was “pretty pissed, because he wanted to be here”.

Mercedes’ speed gap

Toto Wolff has suggested Mercedes’ straightline speed deficit to Ferrari is now so big that he can empathise with how Red Bull felt when it was struggling to beat his squad in 2014-15. At the time, Red Bull regularly hit out at its then engine partner Renault as its early difficulties with the hybrid technology left it trailing other frontrunners. “I know a little bit now how Red Bull felt in ’14 and ’15, when you are on the back foot on the straights,” said Wolff, who believes his team was around 9mph off Ferrari on Spa’s straights.