Formula 1 to host fan-free races from July

Covid-19 hit 2020 season is now scheduled to start in Austria, with no spectators and special rules for team personnel

By Sam Sheehan / Monday, 27 April 2020 / Loading comments

The organisers behind Formula 1 have pushed back the 2020 season’s start to July and suggested early races be held without spectators, in response to the ongoing challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic. That means June’s French Grand Prix is the latest to be cancelled, leaving the Austrian Grand Prix to host this year’s opener on July 4th-5th, with Silverstone following a fortnight later, also with empty grandstands. Not surprisingly, team and track personnel will have to adhere to strict rules to prevent the spreading of coronavirus, although details for that are yet to be decided.

It’s a predictable blow for a sport that has been re-growing in global popularity both on track and on TV in recent years, but F1 chairman and CEO Chase Carey suggested that we might only lose four of the planned 22 races this year. He said in an official statement: “We’re targeting a start to racing in Europe through July, August and beginning of September… September, October and November, would see us race in Eurasia, Asia and the Americas, finishing the season in the Gulf in December with Bahrain before the traditional finale in Abu Dhabi, having completed between 15-18 races”.

This is, of course, all reliant on the regions F1 visits to have brought the spread of coronavirus under a certain level of control, allowing for teams to function, probably with mandatory use of personal protective equipment (PPE). It’d be hard to imagine spacing rules to work in confined environments such as a circuit garage, but the sport might take influence from global regulations and allow members of certain groups to work closely, but not intermix with those from others. Suffice it to say, not even the highest-ranking officials in F1 can know for sure yet, so expect them to be editing regulations as the situation evolves.

Carey has, however, stated his intentions for “fans to be part of [the] events as [F1 moves] further into the schedule”, but Silverstone’s organisers have confirmed in a separate statement that its grandstands will remain empty during the British race. Ticketholders are to be contacted about full refunds within the next two weeks. Silverstone managing director Stuart Pringle explained the thinking behind the decision, stating that “obligations to protect the health and safety of everyone involved in preparing and delivering the event, volunteer marshals and race makers, and…fans, means that this is the best, safest and only decision [the circuit] could make”.

Pringle added that as a thank you to the National Health Service’s duty during these difficult times, NHS staff will be offered free tickets to the 2021 Silverstone race – a laudable announcement. Indeed, Formula 1 as a whole can claim to have helped somewhat with the cause, with many teams utilising their engineering, design and manufacturing expertise in recent weeks to produce ventilators for hospitals the world over. Carey said these teams had made “heroic efforts…to help those infected by Covid-19”, which is something else we can all agree on. Here’s hoping Lewis can get to defending his title when the world’s on a course to recovery in a couple of months.