What may Happen to Formula 1 Racing in 2020?

• Posted on 27 April 2020
• By Racing-Arts.com
• 0

The coronavirus epidemic has created an interesting dilemma for Formula 1. Chase Carey says that drivers will be ready to race as soon as it is safe for them to do so, and fans are undoubtedly eager to hear “Start your engines.”

What Was Formula 1's Initial Coronavirus Plan?

The initial plan is to race between 18 and 20 races by moving the summer break forward to cover the time lost to COVID-19 and to extend the end of the season later. Originally, the season was to end on November 29, 2020. Teams have agreed that the 2020 season can continue into early 2021 if it means that organizers can get in enough races to ensure a world champion is declared. Teams have also announced that they will use the same F1 car chassis until the start of racing in 2023. Formula 1 has banned all developmental work on 2023 cars during the shutdown, and they say they will hold no races before June 14, 2020, and that date is very questionable.

Has Formula 1 had Racing Gaps Before?

Yes, Formula 1 has had racing gaps before. Even if the season begins with the French Grand Prix, it will be the latest that the Formula 1 race season has ever started. The last long gap occurred in 1966. The longest gap was 266 days, which happened between the running of the 1950 Italian Grand Prix and the running of the 1951 Swiss Grand Prix. The last race in a calendar year was the South African Grand Prix, which occurred on December 29, 1962.

What may Happen to Formula 1 Racing in 2020?

There has still not been an official decision on the Formula 1 world championship. According to the rules, a minimum of eight races must be run for a world champion to be declared. Look for the next major announcement to come from Silverstone, who manages the Circuit Pau Richard about the French Grand Prix. Silverstone says they will make a final decision before the end of April. Additionally, Silverstone officials have announced that they would be willing to host two races on the same weekend, and those races may have no spectators. If the decision to cancel the French Grand Prix occurs, which seems extremely likely, then the British Grand Prix may become the first race of the season.

Has a New Tentative Formula 1 Racing Schedule Been Announced?

Formula 1 officials say that the situation is far too fluid to release a new racing schedule. It will be released as the world comes out of the pandemic, but the earliest that the season could start is in mid-June. Additionally, there may be races run without spectators, and they may hold more than one race over a weekend at the same track.

How will the Early Factory Shutdown Mean?

Typically, all work on F1 vehicles stops in August for two weeks. Due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic officials extended the break to five weeks. Teams had some leeway about when they started and ended the break with some starting in late March while others did not begin until early April. The break is likely to be extended indefinitely to save resources. Many believe that when the season returns, those teams having the deepest resources will fare the best. Formula F1 also extended the break to include engine manufacturers who usually do not have the two-week summer shutdown. Formula 1 racing has announced that it will not enforce many of the new regulations to help teams save money in the short-term.

Have F1 Owners Furloughed Workers?

Yes, at least five F1 teams have seen workers furloughed. Al teams based in Great Britain, except for Red Bull and Mercedes have furloughed F1 workers. Additionally, rumors say that drivers Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean have agreed to take a pay cut. United States racing team Haas Formula One has furloughed all British-based employees.

Has COVID-19 impacted any F1 drivers or teams?

Yes, there have been drivers and teams impacted by COVID-19. After 10 teams were in Australia to run the Australian Grand Prix, McLaren Racing announced that one of their team members had coronavirus. The individual self-quarantined and treated by local officials. Drivers Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris self-quarantined after being in contact with the individual. All team members were able to return to the United Kingdom, and only the original team member ever tested positive. He has since made a full recovery.
McLaren team members stayed in Australia for 14 days in quarantine. They say that they were very impressed with the way that the Formula 1 racing teams pulled together during this time when 14 members of the McLaren team had to be quarantined. He says teams that were competitors helped to pack up the garage area for shipment and that Formula 1’s doctor volunteered to stay behind to support the quarantined team members. Additionally, many people who usually are competitors dropped off care packages before they caught their flights home.

At the same time, Pirelli Tyre says that one of their team members who were in Australia tested positive. The team member has since made a full recovery and has returned to work.
While some drivers, like Lewis Hamilton, continue to exercise three times a day so that they will be ready when the season begins, others have had to deal with coronavirus or self-quarantine out of an abundance of caution.

Will Liberty Suffer Losses?

Liberty owns the commercial rights for Formula 1 racing. They will probably end up with at least a $250 million loss with much of that loss being transferred on to Formula 1 racing teams.

Have Manufacturing Facilities Been Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic?
Yes, manufacturing facilities have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Mercedes High Performance Powertrains, who has produced engines that have won eight constructors’ championships and 10 drivers’ championships, is now producing Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machines that help people breathe who have been affected by the disease. Seven Formula 1 racing teams have combined their talents to form Project Pitlane that is producing ventilators for patients who need them. Production at Ferrari’s Formula 1 factory was suspended on March 27, 2020, as the factory lying in one of the hardest-hit areas of Italy was experiencing severe supply chain issues.

Everyone remains hopeful that at least eight races can be run in 2020, even if the organization must run the last races in early 2021. The most optimistic outlook is that the first race will be run in mid-June. Drivers and team members have pulled together in many ways during this worldwide pandemic to help each other and to produce medical equipment.

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