The Formula One season is set to be delayed further as the COVID-19 pandemic shows no signs of letting go in Europe. As such, F1 teams are set to discuss the possibility of extending the three-week flexible but mandatory shutdown period to several more weeks.
As per the new information, F1 hopes to host at least 15 to 18 races and is targeting to start the season at some point in the summer. It is expected to run over till January 2021, given the late start and that might have a domino effect on the 2021 season.
As of now, the 10 teams are all observing the shutdown period and FIA recently extended it to cover power unit manufacturers. It is a huge financial blow to most teams, but the full extent of the damage is yet to be examined.
According to Red Bull’s team principal Christian Horner, “There will be a discussion during the broken weekly, and I can only see it being extended. I can see it being extended to the end of April, beginning of May and then reviewed again. There will be a discussion among the team principals, FIA and FOM in the next few days.”
“It's the only fair way of dealing with it. It’s a competition at the end of the day. What's right and logical at the moment is everybody abides by the same rules and the shutdown, incorporate FIA conditions to it, until the teams are in a position to go back to work.”
“Obviously, we're looking at what the government has communicated,” Horner continued. “All the teams again, all the HR managers between the teams are talking so there is as much consistency as possible.
“It's very positive the teams are communicating in a positive and proactive manner. It reminds me very much of the 2008 financial crisis but this goes way beyond that.”
Chase your Sport applauds the effort put in by the teams and asks all our readers to follow the guidelines shared by WHO and practice social distancing to ensure we can arrest the growth of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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