Formula 1 may impose restrictions preventing team members from mixing with rivals’ staff at races held behind closed doors as a health precaution.
The sport is investigating measures it could take to hold races while minimising the risk of worsening the pandemic, which has led the opening nine races to be postponed or cancelled.One option which is being actively pursued is starting the season with a series of races held with minimal staff at otherwise empty circuits. Teams would be required to limit the number of staff in attendance, all would have to be tested for the Covid-19 coronavirus prior to arrival, and teams would be segregated from each other at the circuit as far as possible.
The spacious modern paddocks at the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone, which have been tipped to hold multiple races when the championship begins, would make it easier for teams to observe social distancing practices.
F1 cancelled its scheduled first race of the season shortly before Friday practice was due to begin in Melbourne after a McLaren team member tested positive for the virus.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc backed the idea of holding races behind closed doors but admitted it would lack the atmosphere of a typical grand prix weekend.
“It will definitely not feel like a normal race because during a race weekend you can really feel the support of the fans, you can see them, you can hear them. So it is different, [they] cheer you up whenever you have bad times and it will cheer you up even more when you have good times because they are happy for you. So it is going to be very different.
“But I definitely think it’s better than nothing. So if we can start like this in a safe way for everyone, then I think it’s a good way to start the season as it will entertain the people first that are home. And obviously it will also help us to get back into the car, which is what we are all missing the most. But the priority should be to do it in safety.”
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Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
23rd April 2020, 8:05
Given things will not be “normal”, if they want to help with a bit of social distancing, why not reduce the number of mechanics allowed at a pitstop.
It would be fun to see only one mechanic per wheel, or even only one a side (like Indycar). Only a temporary measure, but could mix up strategy a bit with extended pit times – especially if we do end up with two races at one track
BasCB (@bascb)
23rd April 2020, 8:28
I sure hope they really give it a try at limiting people as much as possible @eurobrun. With the telelinks all analysing can pretty much be done remotely if needed, and I agree with you that this is the best time to try cutting down on the number of people doing pitstops we’ve had in years.
If not now, then when. Just the people needed to build up the car, to organise that and to do the pitstops. Plus the team principal, the 2 race engineers and the people from Pirelli and the engine manufacturers to make sure the engine doesn’t go pop.
robinsonf1 (@)
23rd April 2020, 8:44
@eurobrun The only way that having 1 mechanic per wheel would make racing better is if they also increased pit limiter speed to compensate for the longer pit stops. Otherwise get ready for 1 stop races and plenty of tyre saving!
bosyber (@bosyber)
23rd April 2020, 11:37
Well, potentially with the lower amount of people in the pitlane during the race that would follow from such a measure @robinsonf1, that might be possible now. I do agree that it’s a change that many feel would be sensible, but so far no path towards that has been agreed, and so now would be a good time to try it out.
Aiii (@)
23rd April 2020, 12:39
While I don’t think it’s the worst idea of entertainment purposes. I don’t think it’s necessary. With the fireproof gear and helmets they have on there’s really no value over no gear and 1,5m distance.
kenji
23rd April 2020, 8:11
I fully endorse this proposal. Tost says that he could do a race with 65 people. Maybe this figure could be reduced even further by say, limiting the back room guys,embedded within teams, to 50 people. Overall that would mean 500 people. Surely this number could be easily virus tested some four days pre race and again upon entry to the country and to the circuit. Local officials could be tested at any time. This would appear to be a simplified proposal but also doable. Additional costs for charter flights and segregation costs would be offset by less accomodation costs, sustenance costs and other ancilliaries. No longer would we see the massive numbers of team personnel in attendance…something that may make the smaller teams more competitive.
BasCB (@bascb)
23rd April 2020, 8:25
As Charles mentions, a race behind closed doors will feel awkward and miss any atmosphere a race normally gives. But then, there really doesn’t seem to be any other way to return to racing anytime soon, so it will have to do.
Trying to keep the teams seperate from each other as much as possible seems like a good idea – that way even if a team member is affected by Covid-19, they can just ringfence that one team and the rest of the “circus” can keep going. Off course we all hope that wouldn’t be needed. But better to take precautions.
@HoHum (@hohum)
23rd April 2020, 23:17
@bascb, maybe it’s the apparent lack of spectators (seen on TV) rather than the darkness that makes the Singapore GP my least favourite to watch, but it seems most fans like SGP despite not seeing fans reacting all around the track.
Jere (@jerejj)
23rd April 2020, 9:44
But how easy would this be to achieve from the practical POV is the only question.
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
23rd April 2020, 10:32
With the UK announcing that they don’t see international travel within the calendar year, aren’t all of these claims of multiple races behind closed doors just a little delusional or does F1 think it’s essential/important enough to warrant special exception status.
I know that fans are starved of racing, I know F1 has made a complete hash of providing any eSports alternative and I know that the share price is tanking. That just puts it in the same boat as pub owners about to lose their pubs/livelihoods, small businesses, large businesses and any in between all struggling to stay afloat and I don’t see the, being given any special favours.
About the only place I could see them racing would be COTA in Texas because the great state of Texas is open for business. He’ll even the fans will go there. They can go there, do 18 races and then stay for 3 months or so until their ho,e countries let the, back home.
bosyber (@bosyber)
23rd April 2020, 11:40
Interesting perspective @dbradock, I guess that means they could do a race or two in Austria, then go to Texas and do 4-10 for a few weeks, finish in Abu Dhabi under strict quarantine (one in the morning, one evening race w. lights?), and that’s it then?
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
23rd April 2020, 12:43
@dbradock The UK already allows international travel if it is for a “permitted excuse” – and partaking of work (essential or otherwise) that cannot be done from home is one of the “permitted excuses” (assuming that the country at the other end is in agreement that the travel is compatible with their laws). The law is no different regardless of distance or mode of transport involved, though proportionality clauses have been used against people who are using exercise as their permitted excuse. So if F1 managed to get permission to stage a race anywhere in the world, teams from the UK are already free to travel to it. If the race was in Britain, there’d also be no obstacle to foreign suppliers necessary for the race to attend. The obstacle for it to be in Britain is that with the staffing needed for a F1 race, it would end up a mass event (over 2000 people) regardless of whether the doors were open or closed – and that looks some way off.
Pretty sure the “no international travel this year” is primarily aimed at things like holidays (i.e. things that are currently not permitted will continue to not be permitted for a long time). This wouldn’t be a barrier to a closed-door F1 race, though it would restrict the audience of any given venue for an open-door race.
Bahrain and Abu Dhabi could likely have an audience by high summer, the way they’re going (not that anyone would schedule a race then for climatic reasons unless they absolutely had to…) Signs are good for the Far East leg having audience of some description. COTA is currently shut (most of Texas isn’t, but that only helps if a different venue within Texas gets approval for the race) but may have re-opened by race week, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Mexico was also available. If every venue could do two races, F1 could be in an excellent position to hit its TV contract. But there’s a good chance of a venue or two being unavailable due to a second wave, and it’s too early to know where is likely to trip F1 up (except it’s unlikely to be China given it’s already in a second wave…)
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
23rd April 2020, 13:05
You have a very loose interpretation of travel for essential purposes. Seriously you you really think F1 would qualify? Not a chance in hell.
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
23rd April 2020, 18:56
@dbradock
But who decides? You’re forgetting that the British government can easily be oiled!
JC
23rd April 2020, 10:46
The sooner focus moves to safeguarding the 2021 season the better for F1. Write off the losses and start looking at how to prevent any teams from folding.
I can’t even contemplate planning a summer BBQ for friends at my UK house in August yet, never mind try to arrange a global travelling circus.
F1 acted too slowly with Australia. They need to just make the tough decision NOW and get on with mitigations.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
23rd April 2020, 12:45
@JC Maximising revenue in 2020 is part of safeguarding the 2021 season, insofaras it means F1 is more likely to go there with all its teams, TV and circuit contracts intact (thus more able to afford to give us the season expected). It may not seem like it, but this exercise is part of the mitigation process…
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
23rd April 2020, 13:17
They’re unlikely to really generate much revenue and in fact are probably more likely to lose more if they try to hold a race and have to again cancel because of illness. Again – unlikely that they’ll get the ability (or the willingness) for all required team’s personnel etc to be able to even contemplate a race any time soon.
All Liberty is trying to do is prop up its share price, to suggest its for the “teams” is naive at best.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
26th April 2020, 15:22
@dbradock If done properly, there’s a good chance of getting some races done at some point, but I don’t think we will come to agreement on this until one of us is proven right.
@HoHum (@hohum)
23rd April 2020, 23:25
@alianora-la-canta, Good to see you have your positive thinking hat on, welcome aboard.
StephenH
23rd April 2020, 12:01
Here’s another thought as well … what about media / press / TV coverage and commentary ??
I remember Murray Walker and James Hunt often having to commentate on flyaway races from BBC Television centre back in the day, so would all the commentary teams for the world’s broadcasters have to do the same now to further reduce the number of people at the circuit ??
Given even us fans have access to timing apps and data streaming capacities and capabilties today, would Crofty/Brundle and Ben Edwards/DC be able to commentate from home ??
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
23rd April 2020, 12:46
@StephenH Yes, I assume all broadcasters will be working from socially-distant studio arrangements (which could be people’s homes in some cases).
Clemens Wenners (@clemenswenners)
23rd April 2020, 16:04
On Dutch television the guy commentating on the Friday/Saturday practice sessions always does it from a studio in The Netherlands. You won’t even notice the difference.
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
23rd April 2020, 19:10
Based on some of the commentary setups and positions, there is absolutely zero need for the commentators to be local.
Indeed they sometimes may as well be in a shipping container considering how little they can see thru the window!
Its just nicer to have them on site for presentation and pre / post show and interviews.
Clemens Wenners (@clemenswenners)
23rd April 2020, 16:03
On Dutch television the guy commentating on the Friday/Saturday practice sessions always does it from a studio in The Netherlands. You won’t even notice the difference.
Clemens Wenners (@clemenswenners)
23rd April 2020, 16:04
Oops, second time, my bad
GtisBetter (@)
23rd April 2020, 16:09
He only did fridays anymore and now those two clowns do Saturday free practice and makes it utterly awful for me personally.
Clemens Wenners (@clemenswenners)
23rd April 2020, 17:03
Oh, right! They do! I always watch on F1TV with English commentary. So much better.
Tambeau
23rd April 2020, 16:08
There is no chance of any races in the UK this year.
The 2 major obstacles must be the marshalls, the same number will still be required. They will all have to travel to the circuit, gather in groups when working (especially if a crash happens), and be fed and watered. Hardly effective social distancing or essential travel.
Secondly, the whole question of crashes. Where are the medical personel and ambulances coming from, maybe F1 has a special store cupboard of them just for races. Also if there is a major incident, what hospital is going to be willing or capable of having ICU beds and doctors at a moments notice.
I’m a massive F1 fan, been to several races all over the world, and have been since the mid 80s. But the whole idea of racing during this pandemic is not only extremely selfish, but totally deluded. Scrap this season and start planning for next year, when hopefully at least some of the restrictions are gone.
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
24th April 2020, 7:31
It is absolutely essential to keep each team isolated from every other team as much as is practical, but wouldn’t it be even better having a team split into two or three or more sandboxes that stay isolated from the other sandboxes within the team? Recalling what happened in Melbourne, where someone in a team was found to be infected, the whole team pulled out of the race, which then prompted those in charge to call off the race. When you use the team as the sandbox then everyone in the team has to consider themselves at risk if someone is found to be infected, meaning the entire team has to withdraw from the race. On the other hand, say a team had three sandboxes, with the mix being such that if any one of the sandboxes has to go into isolation then the team can still function. Doesn’t that sound a slightly better option? For example, say embedded in each sandbox was one driver or the reserve driver. Now, if someone is found to be infected and everyone in that sandbox was quarantined, the team still has two drivers and enough other people to run to run the entire operation, so there’s the potential the team could still field two cars.