In the list of priorities currently occupying the public's mind, starting the F1 season probably won't be very high up. That said, along with practically every other international sport, there's so much money riding on a condensed calendar that plans for the resumption of play must be hatched at some point - the alternative is too calamitous to think about.
With that in mind, Silverstone has today confirmed preparations are underway for this year's F1 campaign to begin at the home of grand prix racing with a double round. Speaking to The Guardian, MD Stuart Pringle said: "We have discussed all sorts of permutations including hosting two races over one weekend and two races over consecutive weekends." He added: "I have complete confidence in our ability to put on these events. We have a lot of experience, a lot of knowledge, we can turn that on definitely."
The possibility of a season opener at Silverstone in July isn't as silly as it might sound. Provisionally, the season will commence at Paul Ricard on June 28th; however, given the French government has banned mass gatherings until the middle of July that looks decidedly unlikely. The next round scheduled after France is Austria, on July 5th, with Silverstone then due to host the British Grand Prix a fortnight after that. The F1 Group is currently redrawing the 2020 calendar with race organisers, with a decision expected in May.
On the other hand, Silverstone will have to decide from the end of April whether it will be hosting the GP with spectators, because of the time required to prepare the venue. Should a race (or a pair of races) need to take place behind closed doors and without fans, that requires less time to set up - so May would help. It seems likely that whatever's decided for F1 will have to apply to all races as well - no fans in July would surely have to mean no fans in November as well.
Plenty to be discussed and decided, then. But, as Pringle has also said in the Guardian story, a return to racing needs to be "appropriate", and not distract from the far more pressing issue of dealing with the pandemic. The F1 show must go on, as they say - even allowing for the possibility that no-one is physically there to see it.
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