The 2020 Formula One racing season which has so far been cancelled or postponed due to the coronoavirus outbreak through nine races, could see its start any time between July and October, according to the managing director of Formula One, Ross Brawn.
If Formula 1 is able to start by July, they could potentially get in 19 races and finish by January 2021 but if they are forced to wait to begin racing in October then they would merely try to fit in the eight required races to be classified as a world championship event.
“If you wanted a drop-dead point, it would be October,” Brawn said. “But then there’s always the possibility we could run into next year, and that’s being explored – could we stray into January to finish the season.”
Of the nine races affected already so far this year, Brawn said that races on permanent circuits were easier to re-schedule than those on temporary tracks such as street circuits, which is one reason why the 2020 Monaco Grand Prix was cancelled outright, while the other eight races have – so far – only been postponed.
Additionally, some of those races could be races held but closed to spectators.
“We’re looking at the logistics of a closed race,” Brawn said. “We could have a very enclosed environment where the teams come in on charters, we channel them into the circuit, we make sure everyone’s tested, cleared, there’s no risk to anyone and we have a race without spectators. “That’s not great but I think it’s still better than no racing at all.