2020 F1 Austrian GP: Qualifying as it happened

Follow Crash.net's live coverage of the 2020 Formula 1 season-opening Austrian Grand Prix.

The long-awaited 2020 F1 season finally gets underway this weekend with the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.

After the opening 10 races were called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and following subsequent disruption, F1 returns with the first of back-to-back races in Spielberg.

The Red Bull Ring double header kicks off an unprecedented run of eight confirmed races in just 10 weeks, including two triple-header events, which will form the start of the revised 2020 schedule.

F1 championship officials are working on finalising the remainder of the calendar and are striving for a 15-18 round campaign.

The opening run of races will all take place behind closed doors, with the F1 paddock operating under strict protocols to ensure events can go ahead safely.

Such measures include the mandatory use of face masks and other forms of PPE, while social distancing measures must be observed where possible.

Team staff will be separated into ‘family bubbles’ to limit mixing of personnel and they will be kept apart from their competitors throughout the race weekends.

All personnel in the paddock must have have tested negative for coronavirus before entering and will face further testing every five days.

As attention turns to on-track action for the first time since pre-season testing concluded in Barcelona at the end of February, reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton will be determined to make a fast start to what could potentially be a historic year.

The Briton has the chance to equal Michael Schumacher’s record tally of seven world championships if he once again triumphs to title glory this season, but he will face some tough opposition from the likes of teammate Valtteri Bottas, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel.