Formula One considering closed races once season starts

Formula One considering closed races once season starts

Formula One is considering holding closed races without spectators, most likely at European circuits, once the season is able to start after being stalled by the new coronavirus pandemic.

VIDEO SHOWS: FILE FOOTAGE OF FORMULA ONE CARS DRIVING IN STREETS OF SHANGHAI, FILE FOOTAGE OF MERCEDES DRIVING THEIR 2020 CAR AT SILVERSTONE, FILE FOOTAGE OF MERCEDES TEAM PRINCIPAL TOTO WOLFF WITH NEW COMMERCIAL PARTNER, INEOS CHAIRMAN, JIM RATCLIFFE, FILE FOOTAGE OF FERRARI LAUNCHING THEIR 2020 F1 CAR, FILE FOOTAGE OF RED BULL'S MAX VERSTAPPEN DRIVING HIS CAR IN THE NETHERLANDS, FILE FOOTAGE OF MCLAREN LAUNCHING THEIR 2020 F1 CAR, FILE FOOTAGE OF F1 CHAIRMAN CHASE CAREY AND F1'S MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR MOTORSPORT ROSS BRAWN SHOWS: SHANGHAI, CHINA (FILE - APRIL 13, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1.

VARIOUS OF SAUBER F1 CAR C30 ON STREETS OF SHANGHAI TO PROMOTE THE 2019 CHINESE GRAND PRIX WHICH WAS ALSO THE 1,000TH IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY 2.

VARIOUS OF RENAULT FORMULA ONE CAR E20 ON STREETS OF SHANGHAI FOR THE SAME PROMOTIONAL EVENT SILVERSTONE, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - FEBRUARY 14, 2020) (MERCEDES VNR - ACCESS ALL) 3.

LEWIS HAMILTON LOOKING AT HIS MERCEDES CAR WITH AN ENGINEER 4.

MERCEDES DRIVER VALTTERI BOTTAS SHAKING HANDS WITH ENGINEERS 5.

LEWIS HAMILTON PUTTING ON CRASH HELMET 6.

ENGINEERS WORKING ON HAMILTON'S MERCEDES 7.

HAMILTON SITTING IN THE CAR AND DRIVING OFF 8.

VARIOUS OF HAMILTON AROUND THE TRACK (4 SHOTS) 9.

MERCEDES CEO TOTO WOLFF (ON LEFT) WITH BOTTAS WATCHING HAMILTON DRIVE PAST LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - FEBRUARY 10, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 10.

TOTO WOLFF (RIGHT) AND INEOS CHAIRMAN, JIM RATCLIFFE (LEFT) LOOKING AT NEW SPONSOR INEOS BRANDING ON THE CAR 11.

WOLFF AND RATCLIFFE POSING WITH THE CAR (2 SHOTS) REGGIO EMILIA, ITALY (FILE - FEBRUARY 11, 2020) (FERRARI HANDOUT - ACCESS ALL) 12.

VARIOUS OF FERRARI'S SF1000 CAR BEING UNVEILED ONSTAGE AT THE ROMOLO VALLI THEATRE WITH DRIVERS SEBASTIAN VETTEL (LEFT) AND CHARLES LECLERC (RIGHT) 13.

FERRARI REPRESENTATIVES HOLDING FLAG, VETTEL AND LECLERC HOLDING ITALIAN FLAG, TEAM CEO MATTIO BINOTTO (GLASSES, ON RIGHT) ZANDVOORT, NETHERLANDS (FILE - MARCH 4, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 14.

RED BULL DRIVER MAX VERSTAPPEN PREPARING TO TEST ZANDVOORT CIRCUIT 15.

VARIOUS OF VERSTAPPEN PUTTING ON BALACLAVA AND HELMET 16.

VERSTAPPEN SETTING OFF IN CAR 17.

VERSTAPPEN ON TRACK 18.

VARIOUS OF VERSTAPPEN IN CAR WOKING NEAR LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - FEBRUARY 13, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 19.

NEW MCLAREN FORMULA ONE CAR, THE MCL35, WITH DRIVERS LANDO NORRIS (BLUE TOP) AND CARLOS SAINZ JR (WHITE TOP) 20.

SAINZ JR TAKING PHOTO OF CAR 21.

CAR SHANGHAI, CHINA (FILE - APRIL 13, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 22.

FORMULA ONE CHAIRMAN, CHASE CAREY, TAKING QUESTIONS FROM MEDIA 23.

CAREY SPEAKING TO MEDIA (NOT A SOUNDBITE) LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - JULY 11, 2017) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 24.

CAREY SPEAKING TO MEDIA AT PREMIERE FOR THE DOCUMENTARY FILM, "WILLIAMS" GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (FILE - JUNE 20, 2017) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 25.

CAREY SPEAKING ON STAGE AT THE FIA SPORT CONFERENCE 26.

VARIOUS OF CAREY TALKING TO JOURNALISTS SILVERSTONE, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - MARCH 3, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 27.

FORMULA ONE MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR MOTORSPORT ROSS BRAWN AT PROMOTIONAL EVENT 28.

BRAWN POSING FOR PICTURES 29.

BRAWN SIGNING DOCUMENT STORY: Formula One is considering holding closed races without spectators, most likely at European circuits, once the season is able to start after being stalled by the new coronavirus pandemic.

The Australian opener on March 15 was cancelled and every race up to the French Grand Prix on June 28 has been postponed so far.

Formula One's motorsport managing director Ross Brawn told a Sky Sports television 'vodcast' that a season of anywhere between eight and 19 races could still be possible.

Last month's Bahrain Grand Prix was due to be held without spectators, a first for the sport, before it had to be postponed.

Formula One has brought forward and extended its August break from March through to May to clear the European summer for a rescheduled calendar that could see races on successive weekends and into the New Year.

Brawn said safety and travel were big issues and a European start was most likely even if much of the continent is currently in lockdown with movement restricted as countries fight to contain the virus Le Castellet, the French Grand Prix venue, is situated on a plateau in the south with its own airstrip, luxury hotel and few access roads.

Austria's Red Bull Ring is also a rural circuit while the British Grand Prix circuit at Silverstone is a short drive from seven of the 10 teams' headquarters.

Brawn said there was no point starting the season unless it could be kept going, with eight races the minimum necessary for a viable championship.

Brawn suggested some races, such as China, could also be condensed into two days.

(Production: Tim Hart)