Start of IndyCar season delayed by a week, but not due to Covid

The IndyCar Championship organisation announced today that the start of the new season will be delayed by one week. It is now scheduled for Sunday, April 18.

However, the change was not made because of the coronavirus, unlike most of the changes made to the calendar last year.

Change in the calendar not due to Covid

According to the championship organisers, the start of the new season was postponed in order to attract a wider audience: Indeed, the old date coincided with the last weekend of the Masters Tournament, the first major golf tournament of 2021. This event is expected to attract more viewers.

"The schedule changes we've had so far, in part due to the ongoing pandemic, make for a strong start to the 2021 season," said Mark Miles, CEO and president of Penske Entertainment to MotorsportWeek.com.

"Six of the first eight races will be broadcast, shorter than usual. This is a great opportunity to bring even more movement to motorsports."