Formula 1: Now it's official! The 2020 season starts on July 5 in Spielberg with the Austrian GP. The next race starts a week later.
- The Corona crisis is shaking up the sports world *.
- Formula 1 * is also affected by the pandemic .
- It had already canceled several races or moved be.
- Now it is clear when the 2020 season will start.
Update from June 2, 11:33 am: The Formula 1 season will initially begin without a race in Germany. The motorsport premier class published the Corona emergency calendar for the first eight races * in Europe on Tuesday, starting on July 5 in Spielberg, Austria. There will initially be no guest appearance in Hockenheim.
As already known, world champion Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Ferrari star Sebastian Vettel , whose future is still not clear beyond the season, and Co. are almost four months late in a double race in Austria (July 5 and 12) Points hunt, followed immediately by the Hungarian Grand Prix. There are also two races in Silverstone in England, followed by Formula 1 in Spain, Belgium and Italy.
The season should have started on March 15 in Melbourne, Australia, but the start was canceled due to the corona pandemic . After that, the races in the Netherlands, Monaco and France were canceled. The Hockenheimring was briefly discussed as a replacement host for a race, but the traditional race track is now missing in the preliminary calendar.
# F1 - @ F1 has announced the opening eight races of the 2020 calendar following the postponement of the 2020 FIA Formula 1 World Championship due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Full calendar⬇️https: //t.co/X4p0qsatc5
- FIA (@fia) June 2, 2020Despite the "continuing uncertain international situation around COVID-19", Formula 1 hopes to be able to publish the details of the "broader calendar" in the coming weeks, according to a statement. The racing series is still hoping for a total of 15 to 18 races before the new world champion should be known by December at the latest.
An overview of the dates known so far:
- July 5: Austria (Spielberg)
- July 12: Austria (Spielberg)
- July 19: Hungary (Budapest)
- August 2: Great Britain (Silverstone)
- August 9: Great Britain (Silverstone)
- August 16: Spain (Barcelona)
- August 30: Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps)
- September 6: Italy (Monza)
Formula 1: Corona emergency calendar released - Brazil wants to run races with fans
Update from June 1, 3:54 pm: Formula 1 can start again in Austria in July - all without spectators. According to a media report, the organizers of the Brazilian Grand Prix assume that they will be able to host their event again in November with spectators .
Chief organizer Tamas Rohonyi told the business magazine Forbes that the preparations would go according to plan and "we are sure that the famous course in Interlagos will again be the site of a fascinating race".
The Grand Prix will be held under the contractually agreed conditions. "We expect the date from November to be confirmed by the FIA so that, like the other overseas races, we can release the tickets for sale." The Grand Prix was scheduled for November 15 in the original calendar.
Brazil is currently hit hard by the pandemic and is the country with the highest number of infected people after the USA.
Formula 1: season start fixed! Place and date - Health Minister comments on the concept
Update from May 30, 5:20 p.m .: As announced on Saturday afternoon, the Formula 1 season will continue in Austria in July, but the restart will take place without spectators and only under strict conditions regarding the corona virus. A race will therefore take place on July 5 at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, as the government has now confirmed. There could also be another race on July 12th .
Formula 1 hopes for the start of the season - but Silverstone shakes: "What we need is ..."
In Vienna, one was probably convinced by the detailed and portable concept of the organizers for the "requirements in the Corona period". Austria's Minister of Health Rudolf Anschober explained the procedure on Saturday. "In addition to strict hygiene measures, the concept also provides for regular tests and health checks for the teams and all other employees, as well as a specific medical concept," says Abber.
The Formula 1 season should have started in Australia on March 15 , but the corona pandemic intervened *. As a result, the start was canceled, races in the Netherlands, Monaco and France were also canceled.
Michael Schumacher's ex-teammate Felipe Massa commented on the health status of the multiple world champion.
Formula 1: late season continuation in Austria fixed!
Update from May 30, 2:45 p.m .: Now it's fixed! The 2020 Formula 1 season may start late in Austria with the races on July 5 and 12 .
The Austrian Ministry of Health confirmed on Saturday, according to the APA news agency , that the organizers' health concept met the current requirements in the corona pandemic.
Update of May 26: Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson appears to be personally committed to running the two scheduled Formula 1 races at Silverstone . In a meeting of the cabinet, the head of government had pointed out the important role of the motorsport industry for England, as the Times newspaper reports.
Formula 1 emergency plan wobbles because of quarantine in England
© dpa / Martin Rickett
As the government source told The Guardian newspaper , the door to top-level sport in the UK was not closed in the summer. The health measures would be checked regularly.
Formula 1 hopes for the start of the season - but Silverstone shakes: "What we need is ..."
Update from May 25th: Lashing down the emergency racing calendar in Formula 1is further complicated. Because the British government has set a 14-day quarantine at a port of entry on June 8, wiggle / late July to mid in Silverstone questionable planned WRC rounds number three and four. According to Stuart Pringle, the course manager, the traditional course in the Midlands is flexible.
“We have our original dates, but we also have a certain flexibility in August. I don't think it will be a problem to find dates for two races, ”said Pringle at Sky Sports UK :“ What we need is the government's green light, and that will take time. Formula 1 as a championship needs this exception. ”
Does Formula 1 return to Germany?
© dpa / Sebastian Gollnow
Formula 1 continues to hesitate to release its slimmed down racing calendar because of the global uncertainty surrounding the spread of the corona virus. The start of the season is scheduled for July 5 in Spielberg, Austria , after the first ten races were canceled or postponed due to the pandemic. A week later, another world championship run in Styria would climb in front of empty ranks before the Formula 1 team would prefer to move on to England for two more ghost races. Seven of the ten teams operate factories near Silverstone. The Hockenheimring is a replacement candidate for Silverstone .
Formula 1 hopes for the start of the season - Hamilton about ghost races: "Worse than a test day"
Update from May 9, 2020: So it should start on July 5. Formula 1 is planning the season opener in Spielberg - before empty ranks.
World champion Lewis Hamilton is looking forward to the “ghost race” with mixed feelings: “For us it will be like a test day - probably worse than a test day,” said the 35-year-old in a video interview with Mercedes on Saturday .
On test days there were at least a few spectators, "but now there will be no one in the audience and you will only see empty seats when you drive," said Hamilton. The Mercedes driver is nevertheless happy to start again: “Races are races. I don't think any of us really had the time to realize the potential of our cars. ”
Most recently, Hamilton had criticized the Australian Grand Prix , which should have taken place in March despite the Corona crisis and was canceled shortly before. "I think that was a real shock to the system," said Hamilton. It was "very surreal" to wake up on the day of the race and find out that it didn't take place. “It was a difficult day,” said the Briton, “when something you love so much is not taken away from you, but it is not currently taking place. I miss driving. "
The first race of Formula 1 will also be the first race after the big bang between Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari * . Now there are five options as to how the Heppenheimer could continue.
Lewis Hamilton longs for the restart, but sees ghost races not only positively.
© AFP / WILLIAM WEST
Formula 1 hopes for the start of the season - sensational corona comeback in Germany?
Update from May 8, 2020: While the Bundesliga is already planning to restart, Formula 1 is still looking for routes for its emergency calendar . Negotiations are also underway with hosts who were not actually planned for this year.
"We are in the advanced stage of a plan for further races in Europe until early September, including races during the actual summer break in August," said managing director Chase Carey at a switching conference with investors .
You want to "check all options". It has recently been speculated that the Hockenheimring, which was not actually planned for this season, could also step in for a Grand Prix.
"We have two major challenges: we need to find places to run a race and we need to make sure we can get everyone involved and their equipment there," said Carey . The goal remains to start the season with two races without spectators in Spielberg, Austria on July 5th and 12th. After the shortly canceled start in Australia in March, all World Cup races were canceled or postponed until the end of June.
However, Formula 1 still hopes to have at least 15 races until December and to end the season in Abu Dhabi. A compulsory break until the end of the year is “ hardly likely, ” said Carey . The coming World Cup year should again go as planned.
Earlier, rights holder Liberty Media announced significant revenue losses. Compared to the first quarter of 2019, when $ 246 million went to Formula 1 owners, this year it was only $ 39 million - 84 percent less . Formula 1 is currently lacking both the entry fees of track operators and the TV revenue. Now there is the next hot rumor: is Fernando Alonso returning to Formula 1?
Two Formula 1 races in one place? Sports director Brawn finds solution "very attractive"
Update from May 1, 2020: Two races in one place in a row are becoming increasingly realistic for Formula 1 during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic . Racing series sports director Ross Brawn described corresponding mind games in the new podcast "F1 Nation" on Friday as "very attractive". Accordingly, it is conceivable that two races can take place on consecutive weekends for the late start in Spielberg in Austria and afterwards in Silverstone in England. The currently planned start of the season in the Alps on July 5 could be followed by another Grand Prix on July 12 before going to Great Britain for the same pattern for two weeks .
According to Brawn, the biggest challenge on the way back to regular racing is "that everyone be tested and released for the paddock". Therefore, it makes sense to do this process for two races after arrival. The best thing for Formula 1 to do is to create its own “biosphere”, i.e. its own ecosystem, said the 65-year-old.
"We work through all the requirements to ensure that we work in a safe environment for the drivers, engineers, technicians and everyone involved in the race," said Brawn. It is about adhering to many things such as travel restrictions and distance rules, emphasized the former technical director of Ferrari. Nevertheless, Formula 1 wanted to continue to offer "the right show".
So far, the first ten races of the season have had to be postponed or canceled. The wish for the racing series is a calendar with 15 to 18 of the originally planned 22 events.
Does Formula 1 stop in Germany? Emergency plans could help traditional lines to make a comeback
Update from April 28, 2020: In this year's Formula 1 racing calendar , a race in Germany was actually not planned. But the corona pandemic could help a traditional route to make an unexpected comeback, as the colleagues from heidelberg24.de * report. Because Germany is better off than many other countries in combating the corona virus, the makers of the racing series are considering a race at the Hockenheimring *.
Restart in Formula 1: Hockenheimring suddenly an option
The management of the race track confirmed the SWR's first discussions with Formula 1 about the option of holding a Grand Prix without spectators. However, since major events in Germany are prohibited until the end of August, no concrete negotiations have yet taken place.
First of all, it would have to be clarified whether a ghost race is even possible under the current regulations. Even without spectators, alongside drivers, engineers and mechanics from the ten teams, hundreds of other people would probably be needed to run a World Cup run. It is also unclear whether the racing teams, which are all based abroad, are even allowed to enter the country.
Michael Schumacher had some moments in his Formula 1 career that caused discussions. Now Nick Heidfeld criticized.
Update April 26, 2020: The Formula 1 is reportedly planning its restart on July 5 at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. According to the English tabloid "The Sun", the premier class of motorsport is said to have targeted a corresponding scenario . “We are hopeful and it would be a great start for the championship if it is considered safe. I know that Red Bull is doing everything it can to make the race possible, ”said Red Bull team boss Christian Horner quoted on Sunday.
According to business games, two Grand Prix will take place in Austria before two races are to be held in Silverstone. In all cases, you should drive without fans.
Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko recently spoke of the possibility that the regular Austrian Grand Prix would take place on July 5, before the second race could possibly be driven late Wednesday afternoon. "The signs indicate that the chances are very high," said Marko on ORF Radio Steiermark.
The Formula 1 rights holder was working on a program, "how to limit the number of people, that not the whole train, then it would have to arrive several thousand people". The team members could land on charter flights directly in Zeltweg near the race track. Austria's sports minister and vice chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens) had already said that the government "at least is not in the way of a ghost race " .
Horner spoke of plans to limit, among other things, the number of team members on the racetrack to around 80 per racing team. If the health authorities and government officials then give the green light, Formula 1 would have a "starting point that others could follow," said Horner "The Sun".
Formula 1: Next GP cannot take place - Corona crisis causes chaos
Spa - The Corona crisis continues to have a massive impact on the Formula 1 * racing calendar. The race in Spa scheduled for August 30th cannot take place as planned, because in Belgium politicians also prohibit all major events until August 31st. The organizer confirmed this on Thursday.
All options are now being examined, said Vanessa Maes, manager of the Grand Prix, the Belga news agency: “Postponement, without viewers or cancellation. Nobody can say what it will be like in four and a half months. "
Formula 1: Nine of 22 races canceled or postponed
The organizers had long held the season opener in Australia in March - the cancellation was only given shortly before the start of the first race weekend. In the meantime, nine of the 22 races have been canceled or postponed . In order to be classified as a World Cup, at least eight races have to be driven. So does the driver * around Sebastian Vettel face a mini World Cup? Nothing seems to be out of the question at the moment.
The plan to start the season in France on June 28th is unlikely to be adhered to . President Emmanuel Macron extended the exit restrictions in France on Monday evening, events "with a large audience" are prohibited until mid-July. The organizers of the Grand Prix want to "communicate in the coming days", what the new announcements mean for the event, said a spokesman for the AFP news agency.
Formula 1: Monza wobbles tremendously because of Corona - "we would need a miracle"
The race in Monza on September 6th is also questionable. "We would need a miracle : we are going through a phase of great uncertainty and we have to act with the greatest care," said Angelo Sticchi Damiani, Vice President of the FIA Automobile Association and organizer of the Italian Grand Prix, in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport:
“We have to understand how the situation is developing in the countries. We can no longer make mistakes like in Australia when the race was canceled when the people were in the Autodrom. It would be a disaster if we had to restart and stop Formula 1 again. ”
Due to cheating in a virtual race, Daniel Abt has to vacate his Formula E cockpit at Audi.
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