INSIDER
20 GP RACING APRIL 2020
PICTURE:ZAKMAUGERPICTURES
The hairpin at theCirc uit
Giles Villeneuvesans
cars. Thisis also likelyto
be the case on June 14,
the current datefor the
Canadian GP, unless there
is a dramatic change in
the COVID-19 situationTHE FIAAND FORMULA1 CONTINUETO WORK CLOSELY WITH
AFFECTEDPROM OTERS ANDLOCAL AUTHO RITIESTO MONITOR
THE SITUATION ANDTAKE THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME
TO STUDY THE VIABILITY OF POTENTIALALTERNATIVE DATES
JOINTSTATEMENT FROM THE FIA AND FORMULA 1“
“
ThenewF1seasonwillnotnow begin untilJune at
the earliest as the Dutch,Spanish, Monaco and Azerbaijan
Grands Prixjoined Australia, Bahrain, Vietnamand
China on thelist of pandemic-enforced postponements.
Canada is currently slated to be the first race on June 14,
followed by the French GP twoweek s later. But there
is no guarantee those events willtake p lace, given the
continuously evolving nature of the pandemic.
Indeed, the Automobile Club de Monaco moved very
quickly. On the sameday F1 and the FIA announced that
its round would be postponed alongwith the Dutch and
Spanish GPs, the ACM issued a statement saying there
would be no Monaco GP at all in 2020. It cited not only
the uncertainty surrounding the movement ofpeople
across borders, but also the health risks posed to the
hundreds of volunteers who build and maintain the course
and work as marshals at the race.
Likewise, Azerbaijan’s round takes place on the streets
of Baku, therefore involving a longer lead time than
normal circuits since trackside infrastructure has to be
put in place. That process also involves large numbers of
people working in close proximity to one another.
When the flyaway roundswere initiall y put on hold,
F1’s official line wasthat it expected racing to begin at the
“end of May”. However, CEO Chase Carey later backed out
of that timeframe, sayingin an open letter to fans that F
“cannot providespecific answers today given the fluidity
of the situation”. He followed that by stating hehoped th e
revised calendar would feature 15-18 races although, as
things stand,thisis perhapswishful thinking...
F1 and the FIA have relocated the summer shutdown
to spring, mandating that all teams observe 21 consecutive
days of inactivity before the end of April. That potentially
frees up several weekends in which postponed races could
take place this August.
That creates logistical challenges in terms ofF1ONPAUSE
ASVENUES
SCRAMBLE FOR
NEWDATES
04
transporting people andequipment between venues,
particularly if the more far-flung ones are granted a slot.
Other races in relatively close geographical proximity
could be moved around to accommodateothers,but the
Fran ce-Austria-Britain triple-header of 2018 was widely
despised andthere is little appetite to repeat it.
Other options onthe table includeextending the
season, which has become a more viableoption now that
F1’s stakeholders have agreed to delay the introduction of
the new technical rules originally slated for adoption next
year. But this all depends onwhat happens on theglobal
stage within thecoming weeks and months.
“The FIA and Formula 1 continue to work closely with
affected promoters and local authorities to monitor the
situation and take the appropriate amount of time to
study the viability of potential alternative datesfor ea ch
grand prix later in the year should the situation improve,”
said a joint statement issued by F1 and the FIA. “The FIA
and Formula 1 expect to begin the 2020 championship as
soon as it is safe to do so after May, and will continueto
regularly monitor the ongoing COVID-19 situation.”
Reportsfrom China suggest that lockdown protocols
have been effective in slowing the spread of the virus,
but in the absence of a vaccine COVID-19 remains an
existential threat. It will be supremely challenging to
begin a sporting programme involving the mass travel of
participants and spectators, since that would invite the
contagion to spread. The Automobile Club de Monaco’s
stance may ultimately prove to be the most prudent one.
All in all, it’s looking as though F1’s longest-ever season- planned to encompass 22 races – will probablyend up
being its shortest in many years.
INSIDER
20 GP RACING APRIL 2020
PICTURE:ZAKMAUGERPICTURES
The hairpin at theCirc uit
Giles Villeneuvesans
cars. Thisis also likelyto
be the case on June 14,
the current datefor the
Canadian GP, unless there
is a dramatic change in
the COVID-19 situationTHE FIAAND FORMULA1 CONTINUETO WORK CLOSELY WITH
AFFECTEDPROM OTERS ANDLOCAL AUTHO RITIESTO MONITOR
THE SITUATION ANDTAKE THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME
TO STUDY THE VIABILITY OF POTENTIALALTERNATIVE DATES
JOINTSTATEMENT FROM THE FIA AND FORMULA 1“
“
ThenewF1seasonwillnotnow begin untilJune at
the earliest as the Dutch,Spanish, Monaco and Azerbaijan
Grands Prixjoined Australia, Bahrain, Vietnamand
China on thelist of pandemic-enforced postponements.
Canada is currently slated to be the first race on June 14,
followed by the French GP twoweek s later. But there
is no guarantee those events willtake p lace, given the
continuously evolving nature of the pandemic.
Indeed, the Automobile Club de Monaco moved very
quickly. On the sameday F1 and the FIA announced that
its round would be postponed alongwith the Dutch and
Spanish GPs, the ACM issued a statement saying there
would be no Monaco GP at all in 2020. It cited not only
the uncertainty surrounding the movement ofpeople
across borders, but also the health risks posed to the
hundreds of volunteers who build and maintain the course
and work as marshals at the race.
Likewise, Azerbaijan’s round takes place on the streets
of Baku, therefore involving a longer lead time than
normal circuits since trackside infrastructure has to be
put in place. That process also involves large numbers of
people working in close proximity to one another.
When the flyaway roundswere initiall y put on hold,
F1’s official line wasthat it expected racing to begin at the
“end of May”. However, CEO Chase Carey later backed out
of that timeframe, sayingin an open letter to fans that F
“cannot providespecific answers today given the fluidity
of the situation”. He followed that by stating hehoped th e
revised calendar would feature 15-18 races although, as
things stand,thisis perhapswishful thinking...
F1 and the FIA have relocated the summer shutdown
to spring, mandating that all teams observe 21 consecutive
days of inactivity before the end of April. That potentially
frees up several weekends in which postponed races could
take place this August.
That creates logistical challenges in terms ofF1ONPAUSE
ASVENUES
SCRAMBLE FOR
NEWDATES
04
transporting people andequipment between venues,
particularly if the more far-flung ones are granted a slot.
Other races in relatively close geographical proximity
could be moved around to accommodateothers,but the
Fran ce-Austria-Britain triple-header of 2018 was widely
despised andthere is little appetite to repeat it.
Other options onthe table includeextending the
season, which has become a more viableoption now that
F1’s stakeholders have agreed to delay the introduction of
the new technical rules originally slated for adoption next
year. But this all depends onwhat happens on theglobal
stage within thecoming weeks and months.
“The FIA and Formula 1 continue to work closely with
affected promoters and local authorities to monitor the
situation and take the appropriate amount of time to
study the viability of potential alternative datesfor ea ch
grand prix later in the year should the situation improve,”
said a joint statement issued by F1 and the FIA. “The FIA
and Formula 1 expect to begin the 2020 championship as
soon as it is safe to do so after May, and will continueto
regularly monitor the ongoing COVID-19 situation.”
Reportsfrom China suggest that lockdown protocols
have been effective in slowing the spread of the virus,
but in the absence of a vaccine COVID-19 remains an
existential threat. It will be supremely challenging to
begin a sporting programme involving the mass travel of
participants and spectators, since that would invite the
contagion to spread. The Automobile Club de Monaco’s
stance may ultimately prove to be the most prudent one.
All in all, it’s looking as though F1’s longest-ever season- planned to encompass 22 races – will probablyend up
being its shortest in many years.