F1 Talk: How likely is the season going to start in July?

Formula One might just be getting underway in July, with the opening rounds set for the 5 and 12 July at the Red Bull Ring. Silverstone is optimistic about holding the British Grand Prix (potentially two rounds) whilst the season will end with Bahrain and Abu Dhabi in December according to F1 CEO, Chase Carey.

But what are the chances of having a 15-18 races season this year and what are the dangers and challenges F1 will face?

Travel

F1 is a worldwide sport and the amount of travelling is inevitably going to cause problems of their own. Will countries allow the F1 circus into their country and how about travelling in and out of the UK too?

Last weekend, the UK government announced plans to put people arriving into the UK from abroad into quarantine for two weeks. How does F1 get around this?

For example, Hungary, Russia, Italy, Singapore and Japan have prohibited flights from the UK. Other countries have their own quarantine measures too.

What if someone in the paddock tests positive?

If the Australian GP told us anything, teams are prepared to withdraw which would likely lead to the cancellation of the event. A precedent has been set.

A team member or anyone in the paddock who tests positive is the biggest threat to F1 having to call of grand prix. Formula One Management and Liberty Media might have got around any travel restrictions, put plans in place but what can you do if somebody test positive?

The risk of infecting multiple people and then them passing it on to family members and/or friends who might be older or more vulnerable is high and is F1 prepared to take that risk?

Contributing to a second outbreak?

The Champions League match between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid as well as the Cheltenham Festival in March have received a lot of backlash for going ahead and there are even suggestions that both sporting events have had a significant impact on the number of coronavirus cases in the UK.

F1 does not want to inadvertently cause a sudden spike in coronavirus cases after it has held a race but with around 2000 people in the paddock, there is always going to be that risk. Imagine the PR disaster though if F1 did contribute.

If social distancing measures are still in place, is it really going to be possible to adhere to those rules in the paddock. People often share the same hospitality, they eat together etc. but the whole world has adapted to government measures so F1 should be able too as well and I do not think this will be a problem.

Drivers can easily self-isolate and they are competing in cars so they will not be a problem. The issue is the sheer amount of people who are from all around the world who come together.

Medics at the ready

In Britain, the NHS is at full-flow and sports do not want to be taking up resources, doctors and equipment for the sake of entertainment when there are people who genuinely need them.

If Lewis Hamilton has a crash at Stowe, he needs to be taken to the nearest hospital. But, come July things should be much better. Deaths and cases of coronavirus are already falling so in two months time, it should hopefully not be a problem if a driver or anyone gets injured.

Marshals

Without marshals you cannot go racing. They are the unsung heroes of motor racing. Briefings for marshals can be done online but they would surely needed to be tested before visiting a circuit and doing the phenomenal job that they do.

Respecting any social distancing rules will be nearly impossible because groups of at least four people will have to stand together simply to hear each other and to do their job properly.

Will people be willing to do their marshalling duties? I think so but do not forget most marshals do not get paid so why risk going to a venue and potentially picking up the virus?

Many F1 marshals travel internationally too. In Azerbaijan, not all of the marshals will be from Azerbaijan they are from other countries so would people be willing to fly to a different country under the current circumstances?

There has been very little talk marshalling and F1 needs to give this issue some serious thought.

But…Time is on F1’s side

Austria is eight weeks away and most countries across Europe are slowly lifting lockdown measures. If you look back two months, there were very few deaths in Europe (compared to now) whereas right now thousands have sadly died from COVID-19.

It shows that things can change very quickly though and things can improve quickly. Even Italy, which had up to a thousand people dying just 4-5 weeks ago is beginning to recover so there is hope.

Sport will not be fully back to normal for a long time but events without spectators are a real possibility in the summer.

A plan in place

July/August: Europe

September: Eurasia and Asia

October/November: Asia and The Americas

December: Middle East

In another article I will look at what the new F1 calendar could look like.

It is good to see that F1 has got an idea of what the rest of the year has in store. Endless negotiations will be taking place about money, broadcast economics, how tracks such as Silverstone will not make a huge loss due to the grand prix taking place behind closed doors, new dates, talks with the government – so much is going on right now and will be going on until we get a final calendar, hopefully in the weeks leading up to Austria.

So, is F1 in 2020 realistic?

A few weeks ago I would have said no and I was one of those who thought no racing would be possible. But, in the last week I have changed my mind.

Countries are slowly but surely going back to normal, there is daylight at the end of the tunnel. At the weekend, there was a race in Ningbo, China so I am optimistic about F1 starting in July and getting a 15-18 race season done by the end of the year.

I just hope and I trust F1 puts the right measures in place so we do not end up with someone getting severely ill because F1 came back too early.

Overall, I am seeing less and less reasons to be pessimistic and there is still plenty of time for the situation to improve. F1 is going about this the right way.