First stop on Formula 1's 2020 calendar is confirmed...
Monday 8 July 2019 10:12, UK
The 2020 season will start on March 15 at the Australian GP, as F1 chiefs confirmed the first leg of next season's schedule.
Although the full calendar has yet to be released, Melbourne's Albert Park will again stage 2020's curtain-raiser as it celebrates its 25th year on the calendar.
Australia will kick off the 70th season of the F1 World Championship.
"We are pleased to announce that, as has been the case for many years now, the next FIA Formula 1 World Championship season will get underway in Melbourne," said F1 chairman Chase Carey of the March 12-15 weekend.
"The Albert Park circuit is one of the most popular venues on the calendar, much appreciated by everyone who works in Formula 1.
"The enthusiastic reception from the Australian fans makes this round really unique and special. There can be no better place to start the 2020 season, which will be significant as the sport will celebrate its 70th anniversary.
What else do we know about the 2020 calendar?
A brand-new street event in Hanoi, Vietnam and the returning Zandvoort in the Netherlands are already confirmed for next season, but the expectation is that a couple of existing events will drop out.
As it stands, the British, German, Spanish, Italian and Mexican GPs are all out of contract for 2020 with renewals yet to be announced.
Italy and Britain, the two-ever presents on the F1 calendar, are expected to land new deals with Monza chiefs in April announcing they had secured an agreement in principle on a five-year term.
The first draft version of the 2019 schedule was released last August.
Sky Sports F1 is the home of live and exclusive F1. Find out more here to watch the season live
