Red Bull Ring returns on 2021 ELMS calendar

The Austrian Grand Prix venue will host its first ELMS race since 2018 and replaces Silverstone on the calendar, following the loss of the British track's FIA World Endurance Championship date for the upcoming 2021 season.

ELMS organisers had previously made it clear that hosting a standalone race at Silverstone was not financially viable when this year's race was axed amid the disruption to the WEC caused by the global coronavirus pandemic.

The remaining five tracks from the 2020 calendar will remain on the schedule, with Barcelona poised to return after losing its date this year due to a a spike in COVID-19 cases. It will host the opener on April 17-18, before the series moves on to the Red Bull Ring a month later.

After a break for the Le Mans 24 Hours, Monza will host the third round of the season on July 10-11, the weekend prior to the Italian track's inaugural WEC race.

Visits to Paul Ricard, Spa and finally Portimao round out the provisional schedule.

ELMS boss Gerard Neveu commented: “After a difficult 2020 season due to the COVID-19 crisis, we are pleased to announce a calendar with six different venues across Europe.

"The high quality of the teams on the ELMS grid deserves all our attention and efforts to guarantee a Premium level championship. This new calendar will, once again, provide the very best stage for the teams and drivers who have chosen to race in our championship."

2021 ELMS calendar: