On Monday, Formula 1’s granddaddy race, the French Grand Prix, was added to the list of races that have been postponed/canceled due to COVID-19. The F1 season now eyes a July start in Austria.
French law forbids events with large crowds, and June 28 (the intended race day in France) is too soon to run a major motorcar race safely. With that decision made for F1 by the French government, circuit boss Eric Boullier decided that it would be better to cancel the 2020 race and focus on 2021. That means there won’t be a French GP in 2020.
Eric Boullier: Given the evolution of the situation linked to the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the French Grand Prix takes note of the decisions announced by the French State making it impossible to maintain our event.
The cancellation means that F1 will now shift attention to Austria, where that race (and F1’s season start) is scheduled for July 5th. That race might be hosted without spectators. The British Grand Prix–to be run two weeks later–could be held the same way.
The good news is that lockdowns in Europe are beginning to be relaxed or removed altogether, and Austria is one of those countries.
But it’s late April with the first F1 race scheduled no sooner than early July. That gives nations and F1 plenty of time to adjust.
