McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown says Formula 1 will be ready to start its new season in the summer if restrictions resulting from the pandemic are lifted.
The first eight race dates have already been called off. F1’s chairman and CEO Chase Carey said yesterday there is “significant potential for additional postponements in currently scheduled events”.Speaking while under self-isolation following his return from the cancelled Australian Grand Prix, Brown reassured his team’s fans that efforts are continuing to salvage as much of the 2020 F1 calendar as possible.
“Obviously there has been a lot of races that have been postponed,” he said. “I want to let you know that McLaren, along with all the teams, Formula 1 the FIA are working very closely together to do everything we can that when the world becomes a safer place to go racing, that we’ll go racing and hopefully have as much of our racing schedule preserved.
“There are plans in place to start up in summertime if the world allows us to and still get in quite a bit of the racing season. So hopefully that will happen. I know we all of all miss our racing.”
Brown said McLaren will “try new things” to reach out to its fans during the hiatus. In Britain, where the team is based, the government has ordered people to stay in their houses except to purchases essentials, to limit the spread of the pandemic.
“In situations like this once you kind of get your head around it and you protect your team and protect your business we can start looking at some fun and creative ways to maybe engage with you or our fans. Esports is certainly seems to be very popular at the moment and I think will only grow in excitement and in stature. And doing things on social media.”
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2020 F1 season
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Jeffrey (@jeffreyj)
24th March 2020, 10:40
In the Netherlands yesterday our government has extended the partial lockdown from April 6th to June 1st for the time being and sharpened the rules so that gatherings with more than 3 people are now forbidden. In addition, police have now been given authority to enforce and penalize people that won’t comply. All this is just to contain the initial spread…
So yeah, racing won’t be possible this summer and I fear not even by next winter or next spring, for that matter, until we get a vaccine.
mrfill (@mrfill)
24th March 2020, 12:17
In the UK we are now confined to home for 3 weeks with only one exercise time per day. Gathering of more than 2 banned with police having powers to enforce.
When we eventually get through this the world is going to be a very different place. Economies are going to take a long while to recover and travel restrictions will be around for months, possibly years.
We have to be very, very patient.
Antz (@antznz)
24th March 2020, 21:47
I get the impression most fans want people to be safe and sensible, we understand things are crazy and we just aren’t that desperate for races. Yes we love f1, but there’s a difference between drivers risking their health on the track and f1 risking the lives of wider communities. This talk of up to 18 races shows that this isn’t understood and I suspect doing more damage to the brand than if Chase just closed his mouth.
I’m fortunate that we don’t many cases here and we should be able to get on top of things relatively quickly. Some countries, I dread to think how long it will take them. I suspect many borders will remained closed for many, many months. Counties that eradicate the virus will be desperate to keep it out. I expect that will be what really delays the season, even if many are ready to race.