Torpillée by the coronavirus, the season of Formula 1 looks for his new brands, and 2020, in a context totally new which requires a rethinking of an entire organization millimétrée that we know to be cumbersome. By the force of things, it will comply with a new timetable starting really on 5 July in Austria, on the land of Red Bull and a fast circuit that bears the name of the energy drink.
With a strangeness, it will be two times at one week interval, history to fill in part the delay of the races taken from the start of the season. The first eight events will take place in Europe between July and September, and in a first time behind closed doors.
A second GP will follow on the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg on July 12, before Hungary, on the Hungaroring, Budapest on the 19th of July, the Great Britain (Silverstone) on 2 and 9 August, the Spain (on the circuit of Barcelona-Catalunya in Montmelo) on 16 August Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps) August 30, and Italy (Monza) September 6.
ran parallel to that of F1, the championship of Formula 2 and Formula 3 will follow the same schedule.
“because of the fluidity of the current situation related to the Covid-19 at the international level, the details of the full schedule will be finalized in the coming weeks, with the hope of having a total of 15 to 18 races by the end of the season in December,” compared to 22 originally planned, specifying the promoter of the F1, Formula 1 and the international automobile Federation (FIA) in a statement on Tuesday.
The championship will end in December in Abu Dhabi and would be organized by geographic areas (Europe in July-August, Eurasia, Asia and the Americas in September-October-November, Middle East in December).
“As previously indicated, it is currently intended that the first races are held behind closed doors” for reasons of health, say the F1, and the FIA, who hope to then be able to make it back to the fans ” when it will be possible to do it safely “.
The absence of spectators will be needed in Belgium, has confirmed Spa Grand Prix SA the promoter of the event, to the AFP on Tuesday. To allow the resumption of racing, the two governing bodies of the category have also put in place a plan of action to combat the spread of the new coronavirus.
Teams manipulated
Among these precautions include limiting the number of people on the paddock, sanitary controls at departure to the host country, and on-site every two days. The teams will be isolated from each other, as well as the general public (flights, ground transportation and hotels booked).
the president of the FIA, Jean Todt, in front of a world map showing all the complexity of a championship 2020 in the cards rebattues by the coronavirus. © DR
” I welcome the resumption of the F1 world championship, commented on Twitter the president of the FIA, Jean Todt. A crisis without precedent, unprecedented actions to resume the championship in the best conditions : congratulations to all those who have contributed to it. I look forward to the first race in Austria. I’ll be there ! “
“We know that the return of the F1 will be a boost welcome to the lovers of the sport around the world,” for its part, responded to its CEO Chase Carey in a press release, when the pilot Dutch Max Verstappen (Red Bull) counts the days on Twitter.
The second GP held at Silverstone, Great Britain, will be the occasion to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the F1. This is, in fact, that has been organized the first race in the may 13, 1950, won by Italian Giuseppe Farina (Alfa Romeo).
The F1 season should start by mid-march in Australia, but this GP has been cancelled in extremis following the discovery of a case within the McLaren team. The F2 and the F3, they would have had to return a week later in Bahrain.
Several races were postponed (Bahrain, Vietnam, China, Spain, Azerbaijan, Canada, Britain) or cancelled (Australia, Monaco, France, the netherlands).
The MotoGP, which was able to arrange that the tests Moto2 and Moto3 in Qatar in early march, must submit the near future, a calendar redesigned.
His promoter Dorna is waiting for a response from the Spanish government to its proposal to resume July 19 and 26 by two consecutive items on the circuit of Jerez (Andalusia).
The timing of the first eight races of the season 2020 F1, F2, and F3 :
3-5 July : Grand Prix of Austria (Spielberg)
July 10-12 : Grand Prix of Styria (Spielberg)
July 17-19 : Grand Prix of Hungary (Budapest)
July 31-August 2 : Grand Prix Great Britain (Silverstone)
7-9 August : Grand Prix anniversary of the 70 years of the F1 (Silverstone)
14-16 August : Grand Prix of Spain (Barcelona)
28-30 August : Belgian Grand Prix (Spa-Francorchamps)
4-6 September : Grand Prix of Italy (Monza)
