FORMULA ONE bosses are planning radical measures for a 19-race season – once the coronavirus pandemic is over.
The plan is ambitious given the opening nine races are either cancelled or postponed, but F1 boss Ross Brawn is optimistic.
Brawn is hopeful of putting together a sizeable calendar for 2020Credit: Getty Images – Getty
Brawn’s blueprint comes after Ferrari chief Mattia Binotto pledged his team’s support for a new calendar.
As SunSport reported, that is likely to include double-headers, starting at European tracks – most likely Silverstone and the home of the French GP, Circuit Paul Ricard.
However, they are initially likely to be behind closed doors – and once travel restrictions are lifted.
He said: “Our view is that a European start will be favourable, and that could even be a closed event.
“We could have a very enclosed environment, where teams come in on charters, we channel them into the circuit, we make sure everyone is tested, cleared, there is no risk to anyone and we have a race with no spectators.
“That’s not great, but it’s better than no racing at all. I think we have to remember there are millions of people who follow the sport, sat at home.
“A lot of them are isolating, and to be able to put on a sport, and keep the sport alive and entertain people would be a huge bonus with this crisis we have. But we can’t put anyone at risk.
“We’re looking at the organisational structure that would give us the earliest start, but also the ability to maintain that start.
It’s not great, but it’s better than no racing at all.”
Ross Brawn
“There’s no point having a start and then stopping again for a while and having another start.
“I think it’s most likely to be in Europe, and it’s conceivable that it could be a closed event.”
F1 have already changed the date of their enforced summer shutdown, bringing it forward to Easter to clear the way for back to back racing later in the year.
The sport needs to run a minimum of eight races to qualify as a world championship season.
And, despite Canada becoming the latest race to be delayed, Brawn, F1’s MD, says that he still believes they can get in up to 19 races.
He added: “Eight races is actually the minimum we can have a world championship, within the FIA statutes.
“We could achieve eight races by starting in October. So if you wanted a drop-dead point, it would be October.
“But then there is always the possibility we could run into next year. That’s assuming we finish this year. And that’s being explored.
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“Can we stray into January to finish the season? There are all sorts of complications, you can imagine, with that.
“If we were able to start in the beginning of July, we could do a 19-race season.”
One way of achieving that number would be doubling up races at particular tracks.
F1 teams are open to the idea of a weekend of multiple GPs, with tracks using different layouts or races being run in reverse.
Brawn said: “It would be tough – three races on, one weekend off, three races on, one weekend off – but we have looked at all the logistics and we think we can hold an 18 to 19 race season if we can, providing we are able to get started in July.
“We may have some two-day races in order to meet the logistical needs.
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“For instance, China looks like it will probably be a two-day race if we go ahead with it, because to get there and get away from it to the next race we are planning, it could easily be a two-day race.
“But our guys along with the FIA and consulting the teams have got every permutation covered.
“At the moment we’re looking at the logistics of a closed race, how would we get the people there, how would we protect them, how would we make it safe, who would we allow into the paddock.
“Every permutation is being discussed.”
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Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
