Austrian Government clears way for F1 2020 season opener in July
The much delayed opening round of the 2020 Formula 1 World Championship season is almost certain to take place on July 3-5 at the Red Bull Ring after the Austrian Government cleared the way to ensure the event can take place.
F1 bosses have long singled out Austria as the most likely starting point for the 2020 F1 season following a series of cancellations and postponements brought about by the global coronavirus pandemic.
However, it still needed to clear hurdles with Austria’s government with regards to providing a safe environment for F1 personnel, as well as ensure it is meeting guidelines aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus from international arrivals.
Nonetheless, with just over a month to go until the season is expected to get underway, the Austrian Grand Prix has approved hosting the event, which will comprise of two rounds on back to back weekends (July 5 and July 12) completed behind closed doors with no spectators.
F1 is expected to confirm at least the first few rounds of the revised 2020 F1 schedule in the coming days, with the Hungaroring potentially holding two rounds straight after Austria, while Germany’s Hockenheimring could also feature despite not being on the original calendar.
The British Grand Prix was originally planned as the third and fourth rounds of the new-look season but delays in getting assurances from the UK Government to make the sport exempt from the incoming 14-day quarantine rules means this is set to be pushed back to August now.
From here the Belgian Grand Prix and Italian Grand Prix at Spa and Monza could retain their original fixtures, before F1 looks to head outside Europe to Eurasia, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East for the final portion of the compacted season.
