Mosley: F1 cannot make rational plans during coronavirus

Former FIA President Max Mosley says the current tactic of waiting to see how the coronavirus crisis develops “risks making things worse” for F1 and its teams and has called for drastic measures to be taken.

Currently, the opening nine F1 races have either been cancelled or postponed while the French Grand Prix is increasingly under threat at being postponed from its initial date of June 28 after French President Emmanuel Macron said no public events would be held until at least mid-July.

With many predicting F1 won’t be able to return to action until July, while the sport remains in a five-week shutdown which will last until mid-May, the 2020 world championship remains in doubt as the sport’s management Liberty Media and the FIA look to reshuffle the race calendar to salvage the season.

Given the ongoing uncertainties on when F1 races can return, where it can go racing and how many races it can hold, former FIA President Mosely has called for severe action – including cancelling the entire 2020 season.

“Waiting risks making things worse with no certainty of gain. There is no guarantee that racing can start again in July, indeed it looks increasingly unlikely,” Mosley told German news agency dpa international.

“The teams and race promoters would [need to] have certainty so they could plan and take action,” he said.

“Until we know what will happen globally with the pandemic, it is not possible to make rational plans for F1.”

F1 chief Ross Brawn has said the sport’s organisers are targeting a 2020 calendar of 18 or 19 races, assuming the season can start in July, which would involve repeats of three consecutive races and one week off with the option of two-day race weekends to ease pressure on logistics.

F1 bosses have also confirmed when the COVID-19 crisis eases it will provide a clearer picture on the reshuffled 2020 race calendar.