F1 brings forward August shutdown
No racing until late May as F1 boss says sorry
FORMULA ONE teams must close for three weeks by the end of April in a move that will allow races to be rescheduled during the European summer and help limit the financial impact of the coronavirus outbreak. What would have been a record 22-round calendar is already suspended, with last weekend’s Australian season opener in Melbourne cancelled and no racing expected until at least the end of May.
The governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement yesterday that its world Motor Sport Council approved the change to the 2020 regulations to allow the cancellation of a scheduled August break.
The 10 teams must instead shut their factories for three successive weeks between now and the end of April.
“The change was supported unanimously by both the F1 Strategy Group and F1 Commission,” the FIA added.
The switch will also help smaller, privatelyowned teams survive what threatens to be an existential crisis as their revenues shrink without any reduction in costs.
Multiple F1 sources told Reuters that the teams, FIA and senior Formula One management will discuss further measures in a conference call today.
That looks likely to involve delaying by a year the introduction of radical new technical regulations planned for 2021.
Teams would otherwise have to devote considerable resources to designing their 2021 cars while also seeking to remain competitive in 2020.
The Spanish, Dutch and Monaco Grands Prix in May all look uncertain but have yet to be postponed or cancelled.
Monaco is likely to be cancelled if not held in late May, due to the logistical challenges of organising the race in the Mediterranean principality, but the Dutch round – a home race for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen – could switch to August.
The sport is also keen to reschedule lucrative races in China, Vietnam and Bahrain.
In related news , Formula One chief Chase Carey has apologised for the farcical start of the season.
F1 was ready to go in Australia and insisted it would get underway to kick off the season right up until the last minute when teams started isolating members who developed coronavirus symptoms.
And Carey has tried to explain the movements in an open letter to F1 fans.
He said: “We apologise to those fans affected by the cancellation in Australia, as well as the postponement of the other races to date.
“These decisions are being made by Formula 1, the FIA, and our local promoters in rapidly changing and evolving circumstances, but we believe they are the right and necessary ones.
“We also want to extend our thoughts to those already affected, including those in the Formula 1 family.
“We recognise everyone wants to know what comes next for Formula 1 in 2020. We cannot provide specific answers given the fluidity of the situation.
“However, we plan to get the 2020 Championship season underway as soon as it’s safe to do so.
“We are engaging with experts and officials on a daily basis as we evaluate how we go forward in the next few months.” – Reuters/Express Newspapers