Brawn: F1 season could begin in October

Formula 1’s Managing Director Ross Brawn has said that the 2020 Formula 1 season would go ahead even if the campaign did not get underway until October.

This comes with the view that F1 must run a minimum of eight races for a season to be classed as a world championship. He was open to the idea of the season continuing until early January, also suggesting that rounds could run two day weekends as to reduce stress on a more confined flying schedule.

This prompted Brawn to say that the hard deadline for a viable season-opener would be October.

“Eight races is the minimum we can have a world championship, [according to] the FIA Statutes. We could achieve eight races by starting in October. So if you wanted a drop dead point it would be October.

“But then there is always the possibility we could run into next year. That’s being explored. Can we stray into January to finish the season? There are all sorts of complications, as you can imagine, with that.” – Ross Brawn

But it is hoped that the season will commence before the start of October, with the possibility of behind closed-doors races being explored as a way to start the season once the corononavirus eases. Brawn hoped the season could ideally begin in Europe but appreciated the versatility of the situation.

Until now, the first eight races of the season have either been cancelled or postponed with further races likely to get the chop in the coming weeks. But with behind closed doors racing a more realistic prospect, the hope could be to start racing in early July providing the effects of the virus subsides in Europe at that point.

On the number of races, he suggested that it could vary from eight to nineteen races dependent on when the racing action began.

Although, the very global nature of F1 creates challenges in even holding behind closed doors races as even if the location F1 goes to does not have COVID-19, there is still the chance that F1 personnel could be infected on their way to the venue itself.

“We’re looking at the logistics of a closed race, how we would get the people there, how we would protect them, how we would make it safe.”

“We could have a very enclosed environment where the teams come in on charters (flights), we channel them into the circuit, we make sure everyone’s tested, cleared, there’s no risk to anyone and we have a race without spectators. That’s not great but I think it’s still better than no racing at all.”

Clearly, the situation is still very dynamic and volatile, but this is a clear indication that Brawn wants the season to start in whatever form sooner rather than later with racing in July behind closed doors being a real possibility.

Although, given the complications that coronavirus have brought so far, care will need to be taken if the championship is to begin before October.