Honda: "That will depend on the next few months"

Masashi Yamamoto believes that Formula 1 will once again face some challenges in 2021. For example, the continuation of the season opener in Australia is still uncertain. However, mandatory vaccination of the entire Formula 1 paddock is not the solution, according to the boss of Honda.

"It's just my personal opinion at the moment, but I think the 2021 season will be similar to 2020, with the F1 paddock moving in a social bubble," Yamamoto says in an interview with AS-Web. The Honda boss will not be working from Japan next year. "I will be based in the UK and will be attending the same races as in 2020."

Will F1 calendar 2021 remain intact?

Liberty Media recently released a calendar for 2021, but we shouldn't be surprised if the coronavirus is going to take away races again. Rumours are currently circulating that the Australian Grand Prix may be cancelled because of the infection numbers and that makes it difficult for everyone in Formula 1 to work.

Whether it is safe to continue in Melbourne will depend on the months ahead? "That will depend on the next few months. But normally, we would start working out the various arrangements for the following year's move in December, but we can't do that because the new strain of coronavirus is spreading again in December. We will have to move from the beginning of the year at the earliest."

Formula 1 and vaccination

If everyone has been given a vaccination in the future, there may be a lot less worry about Formula 1. Nevertheless, Yamamoto is not in favour of having a compulsory vaccine. "I also hope that the FIA will not make vaccination compulsory, although this should be taken as a personal opinion. This is because several doctors I know have told me that there is no way the vaccine will be available so soon and that I should consider the risks," he concludes.