When
Premiere in Bahrain on March 28.
The season ends in the United Arab Emirates on December 12.
New Times
There are new times in F1.
Nowadays, the start of the races must take place at full hour instead of ten over.
Record-breaking season
23 races is the largest calendar in F1 history.
It remains to be seen whether the corona pandemic will allow the season to go ahead as planned.
Last year, there were only 17 races between July and December, where Monaco, among others, had to cancel.
(See all races for 2021 in fact box below)
Fast debut track
Premiere for Saudi Arabia in F1.
The city line in Jeddah has, according to simulation, an average speed of 252 km / h.
Only Monza (264 km / h) is worse and as an urban railway, Jeddah is clearly the fastest.
The evening race on December 5 is also the second longest, after Spa in Belgium.
Historic budget ceiling
In 2021, a new radical regulation would be introduced - to make F1 much smoother.
But the changes have largely been put on hold until 2022 due to the pandemic.
But there is some news this year as well.
Here are the key ones:
Historic budget ceiling.
For the first time in the sport's monetary history, there is a budget ceiling.
$ 145 million (equivalent to SEK 1.25 billion) is the maximum that the stables can spend on making the car better.
Several expenses that are not directly linked to the car's potential are excluded from the budget ceiling;
such as marketing, player salaries and the salaries of the three highest paid employees.
No DAS
.
Mercedes' mentioned steering system is banned.
Reduced downforce
*
.
Changes to the car are believed to reduce downforce by ten percent and make cars slower.
The reason given is safety.
But it is certainly also kind to the tires, which are used for the third year in a row as a consequence of the pandemic.
Sprint qualifiers?
A poll is waiting to test so-called sprint qualifiers on Saturdays.
A shorter race that partly determines the starting order in Sunday's race, and partly gives points to the three fastest drivers.
The idea is to make the whole competition weekend more interesting.
It will be at the expense of training time, which is shortened to 60 minutes per training.
The test is scheduled to take place at three grand prix: Silverstone, Monza and Interlagos.
Hamilton's record hunt
Lewis Hamilton extended a year with Mercedes and could become the first driver to win eight World Championship titles.
Right now he is standing alongside Michael Schumacher.
Hamilton has won six titles in seven years, and four in a row.
What can stop him?
Last year, he took over the records for most pole position and the number of GP victories.
CLIP: Here Hamilton celebrates his seventh World Cup title
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Lewis Hamilton.
Photo: TT News Agency
Time for Verstappen?
Red Bull is seen as the main challenger to Mercedes and impressed most of all stables on the pre-season tests in Bahrain.
In the 2010s, Red Bull dominated with Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber.
Now it is Max Verstappen and new teammate Sergio Perez, World Cup four last year, who will do it.
Schumacher
Nine years after Michael Schumacher said hello then to F1, his son Mick makes his debut.
The legend's son has been given control by Haas.
It remains to be seen how last season's Formula 2 champions handle the spotlight and expectations.
What is reasonable?
Haas came second last last year and also the team's other driver is rookie, Nikita Mazepin.
Son Mick Schumacher and father Michael Schumacher, who suffered severe brain injuries after a ski accident in 2013. Photo: TT
New driver constellations
No less than seven new driver constellations.
See the full list of the stable's drivers in the fact box at the bottom.
Comeback
After a two-year absence, Fernando Alonso, 39, is making a comeback.
15 years after his last of his two world championships.
The Spaniard, who in recent years has tested both Le Mans and the Dakar Rally, says himself that he is a better driver than ever, better than both Hamilton and Verstappen.
CLIP: See former F1 star Alonso Volta in the Dakar Rally
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See the former F1 star turn around in the Dakar Rally
Comeback 2
Aston Martin is back in F1 after 61 years of absence.
Aston Martin has taken Racing Point's place.
Among newcomers is also Alpine, which has taken Renault's place.
Controversy
Russian athletes are prohibited from competing under the Russian flag in World Cup and Olympic contexts.
This also applies to the Russian driver Nikita Mazepin in Haas.
But can Haas drive a Russian flag ON the car?
Haas did so during the F1 tests in Bahrain, which has prompted the anti-doping agency Wada to start an investigation.
* Downforce is a downward aerodynamic force that is created at high speeds and that pushes the car against the asphalt.
Source: formula1.com, bbc.co.uk, skysports.com