British Grand Prix without supporters

MOTOR SPORT

FORMULA One are planning to start their season in July.

But the British Grand Prix will be run behind closed doors if it goes ahead.

F1 chief Chase Carey hopes the World Championship will get underway with the Austrian Grand Prix on July 5 to kickstart a season of between 15 and 18 races, initially held behind closed doors.

“Although this morning it was announced that the French Grand Prix, due to take place in late June, will not be going ahead, we are now increasingly confident with the progress of our plans to begin our season this summer,” said Carey.

“We’re targeting a start to racing in Europe through July, August and beginning of September, with the first race taking place in Austria on 3-5 July weekend.

“September,

October and November, would see us race in Eurasia, Asia and the

Americas, finishing the season in the Gulf in December with Bahrain before the traditional finale in

Abu Dhabi, having completed between 15-18 races.

“We will publish our finalised calendar as soon as we possibly can. All of our plans are obviously subject to change as we still have many issues to address and all of us are subject to the unknowns of the virus.”

Carey said that while the first races would be behind closed doors, it was hoped fans could return before the end of the season.

For the moment, the British Grand Prix will go ahead but Silverstone’s owners said that a race ‘under normal conditions is just not going to be possible’ in announcing a decision to keep supporters away from the event.

Silverstone managing director Stuart Pringle said: “I am disappointed to tell you that we are unable to stage this year’s British Grand Prix in front of the fans at Silverstone.”

Three Grands Prix have now been cancelled - Australian, Monaco, French - and seven postponed - Bahrain, Vietnam, Chinese, Dutch, Spanish, Azerbaijan, Canadian.