GP RACING JULY 2020 35
hea ders somehow, to avoid data driving a stake through the heart of the
spectacle of the second weekend, perhaps by tweaking the tyre compound
selections from one week to the next. Don’t be surprised if reversed grids
come back on to the agenda later in the season too.
Major changes are coming for 2021 and2022 onthe sportingand
technicalfronts.Thisyear’scardesignswillbecarriedoverintonextseason
but with severe restrictionson aerodynamic andengine development
imposed, aswell as a budget cap ofUSD$ 145million, before F1 introduces
a major technical overhaul for 2022, when cars will be radicallydifferent
aerodynamically and financialrestrictions more draconian.
Forthisseason, therearesomeminorstepsinthatdirection.Aerodynamic
testing andengine dynotesting will be lim ited, anddevelopmentof certain
mechanicalparts frozen, in abid tocut costs – hardly surprisingwhen some
teams have already severely felt the financialpinch ofcoronavirus –while
‘closed’event s (no fans allowed)will lim it teams to 80 staff eachperrace,
only 60 of whom can be associatedwith operatingthe cars.
Updates have also been madeto the tyre regulations for 2020, allowing
additional testing through FP2 sessions if required to help approve any new
tyre specifications from Pirelli, which will determine compound selection
for each race unilaterally rather than asking teams.
There will, for now, be changes to other race-day staples, with no driver
parade or podium, and a change to grid procedure, but the cars themselves
will be largely as they were in Australia in March. Mandatory factory
shutdowns, and the diversion of resources to the fight against COVID-19 via
‘Project Pitlane’, means littledevelopment work will have been completed.Even with no spectatorsat first, F1
still expects to have about 2000 people
at each race. There will be 1200 essential
personnel, which compares with 3000-
5000 ordinarily. F1 teams will bring only
80 staff each, rather than the usual 130. F1
is also cutting back on broadcast personnel,
taking only 60 staff toeach race rather than
the usual 250, aided by a shift to remote
broadcasting operations.
British and Spanish GP promoters have already offered refunds or
deferrals to fans who bought tickets for 2020, though F1 hopes to open
races to spectators later in the season if and whenthe risks from COVID-19
have substantially reduced. Unlike in Premier League football, there will
be no additional events shown free-to-air in the UK– save for Channel 4’s
existing deal to broadcast highlights of each race plusthe British GP live.
“Fans are incredibly important, we’d love to havefans at these events,”
says Carey. “But we recognise the safety requirements andthe r isks that
still exist, and we have to take steps towardsthat. We’ve talked about
goals to have fans atthe races in thefall [autumn]. It may not be back
to standsthat are packed to the rafters, but limited capacity fan events.
It is a goal realistically to do it in away whenwe believe we can do it
safely for everybody.”
All of which is to say, like much ofthe constant planning and re-planning
required in this highly unusual timefor Formula 1, watch this space...WHEN
WILL FANS
BE ALLOWED
IN?
Fans are incredibly important, we’d love tohave fans at these events. But
we recognise the safety requirements and the risks that still exist, and we
have to take stepstowards that CHASE CAREY”
“
The teams will be doing their utmost at
racesto prevent the spread ofCOVID-19
and to keep personnel as safe as possible PICTURES:STEVEN TEE;STEVE ETHERINGTON/MERCEDESGP RACING JULY 2020 35
hea ders somehow, to avoid data driving a stake through the heart of the
spectacle of the second weekend, perhaps by tweaking the tyre compound
selections from one week to the next. Don’t be surprised if reversed grids
come back on to the agenda later in the season too.
Major changes are coming for 2021 and2022 onthe sportingand
technicalfronts.Thisyear’scardesignswillbecarriedoverintonextseason
but with severe restrictionson aerodynamic andengine development
imposed, aswell as a budget cap ofUSD$ 145million, before F1 introduces
a major technical overhaul for 2022, when cars will be radicallydifferent
aerodynamically and financialrestrictions more draconian.
Forthisseason, therearesomeminorstepsinthatdirection.Aerodynamic
testing andengine dynotesting will be lim ited, anddevelopmentof certain
mechanicalparts frozen, in abid tocut costs – hardly surprisingwhen some
teams have already severely felt the financialpinch ofcoronavirus –while
‘closed’event s (no fans allowed)will lim it teams to 80 staff eachperrace,
only 60 of whom can be associatedwith operatingthe cars.
Updates have also been madeto the tyre regulations for 2020, allowing
additional testing through FP2 sessions if required to help approve any new
tyre specifications from Pirelli, which will determine compound selection
for each race unilaterally rather than asking teams.
There will, for now, be changes to other race-day staples, with no driver
parade or podium, and a change to grid procedure, but the cars themselves
will be largely as they were in Australia in March. Mandatory factory
shutdowns, and the diversion of resources to the fight against COVID-19 via
‘Project Pitlane’, means littledevelopment work will have been completed.Even with no spectatorsat first, F1
still expects to have about 2000 people
at each race. There will be 1200 essential
personnel, which compares with 3000-
5000 ordinarily. F1 teams will bring only
80 staff each, rather than the usual 130. F1
is also cutting back on broadcast personnel,
taking only 60 staff toeach race rather than
the usual 250, aided by a shift to remote
broadcasting operations.
British and Spanish GP promoters have already offered refunds or
deferrals to fans who bought tickets for 2020, though F1 hopes to open
races to spectators later in the season if and whenthe risks from COVID-19
have substantially reduced. Unlike in Premier League football, there will
be no additional events shown free-to-air in the UK– save for Channel 4’s
existing deal to broadcast highlights of each race plusthe British GP live.
“Fans are incredibly important, we’d love to havefans at these events,”
says Carey. “But we recognise the safety requirements andthe r isks that
still exist, and we have to take steps towardsthat. We’ve talked about
goals to have fans atthe races in thefall [autumn]. It may not be back
to standsthat are packed to the rafters, but limited capacity fan events.
It is a goal realistically to do it in away whenwe believe we can do it
safely for everybody.”
All of which is to say, like much ofthe constant planning and re-planning
required in this highly unusual timefor Formula 1, watch this space...WHEN
WILLFANS
BE ALLOWED
IN?
Fans are incredibly important, we’d love to have fans at these events. But
we recognise the safety requirements and the risks that stillexist, and we
have to take stepstowards that CHASE CAREY”
“
The teams will be doing their utmost at
racesto prevent the spread ofCOVID-19
and to keep personnel as safe as possible PICTURES:STEVEN TEE;STEVE ETHERINGTON/MERCEDES