The global pandemic that messed up every global schedule doesn’t seem to be coming to an end anytime soon but the absolute lockdown could be. The 2020 Formula 1 season which would have started in March at the Australian GP has been in limbo ever since while many Grand Prixs were simply called off. But now it looks like the season will take place after all with a plan to get underway from the first weekend of July at the Austrian GP.
In his latest announcement, F1 CEO Chase Carey stated that the plan is to complete up to 18 races by the end of the year. The 2020 season could conduct the European GPs in July-August, moving East into Asia over September-October, racing in the Americas during October-November and finishing in the middle-east in December with the Abu Dhabi GP as the final race. The final race calendar should be released soon. Carey also stated that the initial races will likely be held without any live attendees in the interest of public health and safety. Likely, large scale crowds and gatherings may not be allowed until 2021 for sporting events.
Before Chase Carey’s statement was released, there was also the official announcement that the French GP due to take place at Circuit Paul Ricard at the end of June has been cancelled. That makes it the third race of the 2020 calendar to be cancelled while seven others have been postponed for now. The Silverstone Circuit in the UK has offered to host multiple GPs, without fans, if financially feasible.
In the meantime, there is plenty of eSport F1 action being broadcast most weekends with a mix of the current grid drivers, other pro racers, pro gamers and pro athletes. There are various other forms of sim racing motorsport being broadcast as well so be sure to check out various socials of the sports and the drivers too. It has also allowed for the young F1 drivers to show a more entertaining side of themselves which includes Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, George Russel and Max Verstappen among others. What racing/driving games have you been playing to keep yourself entertained during the quarantine? Let me know in the comments below.
3 thoughts on “F1 News: 2020 Season Could Start With Austrian GP In July, French GP”