F1 season will start with 2 races at the Austrian GP in July

PARIS (AP) — The Formula One season will start with back-to-back races at the Austrian Grand Prix in July.

Governing body FIA said in a statement Tuesday that the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg will host races on July 5 and 12. The next race on the schedule will be in Hungary on July 19 with consecutive races to follow at the British GP on Aug. 2 and Aug. 9.

Further races are scheduled for Spain on Aug. 16 and Belgium on Aug. 30, with Italy completing the eight-race European swing on Sept. 6.

Four races have been canceled this season because of the coronavirus pandemic — the season-opening Australian GP, the Monaco GP, the French GP and the Netherlands GP.

F1 remains hopeful of holding 15-18 of the scheduled 22 races by re-arranging the six that were postponed.