Two-day races meet F1’s logistical needs, says Brawn

Ross Brawn says adapting the 2020 Formula 1 calendar with two-day race events will allow the sport to prepare and maximise its rescheduled season.

Following the postponement and cancellation of the opening nine F1 rounds, this year’s race calendar is set for a major overhaul amid the coronavirus pandemic with the sport’s organisers still targeting up to 19 races.

F1’s chief of motorsport Brawn says his team are looking into all options to host races, from running without spectators to double headers, while he is also keen to experiment with a two-day format to aid calendar congestion.

Traditional F1 race weekends see media and preparation events held on Thursday before practice on Friday, qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday. Brawn feels condensing its activities into two days would help its logistical planning, particularly for the flyaway races like the Chinese Grand Prix, and open up more possibilities when plotting out the 2020 calendar.

“We may have some two-day races in order to meet the logistical needs,” Brawn said. “For instance China looks like it will probably be a two-day race if we go ahead with it because to get there and get away to the next event we are planning, it could easily be a two-day race.”

Brawn is confident targets for a 19-race season can be met if action can begin in July once the coronavirus crisis eases and health measures are relaxed on public gatherings and travel.

Currently, the 2020 season opener is set to be the French Grand Prix scheduled for June 28 as part of a back-to-back with the Austrian Grand Prix on July 5.