GP Racing - UK (2020-04)

INSIDER

18 GP RACING APRIL 2020

PROBABLY

WHAT’S

SURPRISED

EVERYBODY

IS THERAPID

EXPANSION OF

THIS PROBLEM

ROSS BRAWN

“

“

>No point(s): a look at F1’s non-championship races

>Products: whatto watch and read during the lockdown

>Now ThatWas A Car: BrabhamBT

>Motorsport Images showcase: Monaco

ON SALE

MAY

14

★Onsalethe

samedayas

theprintedition

Go to http://www.gpracing.com/digital-edition/

THIS

MONTH

FERRARI

Another false

dawn ahead?

LECLERC

HowFerrari star

stormed F

WILLIAMS

History ofWilliams

F1: part 1

GET THEWORLD’S

BESTF1 MAGAZINE

WHEREVERYOU ARE

NEXT

MONTH*

★Downloadand

readitonyour

PC,MacoriPad

★ It’sidentical

totheprint

edition

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The unedifying scenesat Albert Park naturally led

to the conduct of many of the stakeholders coming

in for scrutiny – and criticism. Australian Grand Prix

Corporation chairmain Paul Little and CEO Andrew

Westacott, along with F1executive chairman Chase

Carey and FIA race director Michael Masi, gave a

press conference inMelbourne immediately after

the cancellation of the Australian GP to explain their

respective positions and to mollify disgruntled fans.

But as details emerged of the tug-of-war behind the

scenes, the criticism continued: F1’s determination

to proceed with the race appeared increasingly out of

step with the approach of governments and sporting

bodieswor ldwide.

Later that Friday, the promoters of the new Vietnam

Grand Prix announced their event would be postponed

(following the lead of China, as detailed in last month’s

GP Racing). Given that most F1 personnel were already

in the process of heading home if they could (while many

others faced lengthy quarantine periods in Melbourne),

Bahrain’s similar capitulation was inevitable.

F1 managing director of motorsports Ross Brawn

issued his own detailed explanation of F1’s position via

video. In it, he emphasised howthe ra pidly changing

global situation had takenthe organisation by surprise.

“When we decidedto g o ahead, it looked a bit different

to how it looks now,” he said. “Probably what’s surprised

everybody is the rapid expansion of this problem. The

BRAWNDEFENDS

F1CONDUCTAS

RACES TOPPLE

02

escalation of cases, certainly in countries like Italywhere

it’s gone almost vertical, no one I think could have

expectedor predicted that.

“We were kind of on this ship that sailed and wewere

optimistic thatwe could get through it, that we could get

Formula 1 started, have a great race, and just bring a bit

of relief in difficult times.

“Once we had the positive case here, and once one

team couldn’t race because of that, then clearly we had

a problem we had to address.”

Other promoters planning to host grands prix early

in the season have alsodecided to play it safe and

pre-emptivelypostpone theirevents. The Dutch, Spanish

and Monaco Grands Prix were calledoff in the week

following the abortive Australian race.

Monaco won’t happen in 2020, but the others are all

hoping tofi nd an alternative datelater in the year (see

subsequent story). Formula 1 and the FIA have annulled

the summer break, having told the teams they must shut

[email protected] GP Racing, 1 EtonStreet, Richmond,London, TW9 1AG

INSIDER

18 GP RACING APRIL 2020

PROBABLY

WHAT’S

SURPRISED

EVERYBODY

IS THERAPID

EXPANSION OF

THIS PROBLEM

ROSS BRAWN

“

“

>No point(s): a look at F1’s non-championship races

>Products: whatto watch and read during the lockdown

>Now ThatWas A Car: BrabhamBT

>Motorsport Images showcase: Monaco

ON SALE

MAY

14

★Onsalethe

samedayas

theprintedition

Go to http://www.gpracing.com/digital-edition/

THIS

MONTH

FERRARI

Another false

dawn ahead?

LECLERC

HowFerrari star

stormed F

WILLIAMS

History ofWilliams

F1: part 1

GET THEWORLD’S

BESTF1 MAGAZINE

WHEREVERYOU ARE

NEXT

MONTH*

★Downloadand

readitonyour

PC,MacoriPad

★ It’sidentical

totheprint

edition

CONTACT US ON

The unedifying scenesat Albert Park naturally led

to the conduct of many of the stakeholders coming

in for scrutiny – and criticism. Australian Grand Prix

Corporation chairmain Paul Little and CEO Andrew

Westacott, along with F1executive chairman Chase

Carey and FIA race director Michael Masi, gave a

press conference inMelbourne immediately after

the cancellation of the Australian GP to explain their

respective positions and to mollify disgruntled fans.

But as details emerged of the tug-of-war behind the

scenes, the criticism continued: F1’s determination

to proceed with the race appeared increasingly out of

step with the approach of governments and sporting

bodieswor ldwide.

Later that Friday, the promoters of the new Vietnam

Grand Prix announced their event would be postponed

(following the lead of China, as detailed in last month’s

GP Racing). Given that most F1 personnel were already

in the process of heading home if they could (while many

others faced lengthy quarantine periods in Melbourne),

Bahrain’s similar capitulation was inevitable.

F1 managing director of motorsports Ross Brawn

issued his own detailed explanation of F1’s position via

video. In it, he emphasised howthe ra pidly changing

global situation had takenthe organisation by surprise.

“When we decidedto g o ahead, it looked a bit different

to how it looks now,” he said. “Probably what’s surprised

everybody is the rapid expansion of this problem. The

BRAWNDEFENDS

F1CONDUCTAS

RACES TOPPLE

02

escalation of cases, certainly in countries like Italywhere

it’s gone almost vertical, no one I think could have

expectedor predicted that.

“We were kind of on this ship that sailed and wewere

optimistic thatwe could get through it, that we could get

Formula 1 started, have a great race, and just bring a bit

of relief in difficult times.

“Once we had the positive case here, and once one

team couldn’t race because of that, then clearly we had

a problem we had to address.”

Other promoters planning to host grands prix early

in the season have alsodecided to play it safe and

pre-emptivelypostpone theirevents. The Dutch, Spanish

and Monaco Grands Prix were calledoff in the week

following the abortive Australian race.

Monaco won’t happen in 2020, but the others are all

hoping tofi nd an alternative datelater in the year (see

subsequent story). Formula 1 and the FIA have annulled

the summer break, having told the teams they must shut

[email protected] GP Racing, 1 EtonStreet, Richmond,London, TW9 1AG