F1 targets season-opener from 3 July – without any fans

Formula 1 CEO, Chase Carey has announced the first official race of the 2020 season is set to be the Austrian Grand Prix running from 3 – 5 July. The race will take place one weekend after it was initially set to run, due to lockdown restrictions.  

F1 is looking to complete a 15-18 race season before the end of the year. The plan is to race in Europe from early July until early September. The last quarter will see racing in Asia, North and South America before culminating in the Gulf. Bahrain will see the penultimate race before the 2020 F1 curtain closes in Abu Dhabi as per the norm. In order to make this schedule work, F1 would look to doing a number of a back-to-back race weekends with minimal breaks in between.

Early F1 races will have no fans

It’s most likely that the Austrian GP, as well as the following race at Silverstone in the UK, will be hosted without any public being able to watch from the grandstands.

Chase Carey says, “We expect the early races to be without fans but hope fans will be part of our events as we move further into the schedule. We still have to work out many issues like the procedures for the teams and our other partners to enter and operate in each country.”

Plans are in place but subject to change

Chase Carey’s announcement is not absolute.

“All of our plans are obviously subject to change as we still have many issues to address and all of us are subject to the unknowns of the virus. We all want the world to return to the one we know and cherish, yet we recognise it must be done in the right and safest way. We look forward to doing our part by enabling our fans to once again safely share the excitement of Formula 1 with family, friends, and the broader community.”

While F1 teams have risen to the challenge of fighting the pandemic through Project Pitlane, there is a growing tension within the various teams and stakeholders as to how long the crisis will prevent them from racing.

Six-time F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton’s latest social media post states: “I miss racing everyday. This is the first time since I was 8 that I haven’t started a season.” This is true for most drivers in the current F1 season and despite rigorous training routines, many have taken to virtual racing to remain connected socially but also to appease the competitive spirit that drives them all.

This content has been created as part of our freelancer relief programme. We are supporting journalists and freelance writers impacted by the economic slowdown caused by #lockdownlife.

If you are a freelancer looking to contribute to The South African, read more here.