Four months after the opening race was called off at the last minute, the Formula One season finally gets underway this weekend in a world where everything has changed.
The race will be held behind closed doors in the remote Spielberg track in Austria, with the coronavirus still creating uncertainty over how many races can actually be held — and where.
That may not be the only unusual sight, as drivers are discussing whether to take the knee together on the grid before Sunday’s race in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Defending F1 champion Lewis Hamilton has been an outspoken supporter of the movement and will be competing in an all-black Mercedes car — instead of the usual silver — as a statement against racism.
The shortened campaign kicks off with back-to-back races in Austria, as part of a hastily reworked schedule. It was meant to start nearly 10,000 miles away in Melbourne.
But the fast-spreading impact of Covid-19 led to the Australian GP being canceled on March 13, after which several other races including the marquee Monaco GP event also met its eventual fate of cancellation.
A rescue package with eight European races squeezed into 10 weeks, culminating with the Italian GP on Sept. 6, was scrambled together. F1 still hopes to rearrange some of the postponed races so as to finish most of the planned 22 races
There will also be two consecutive races at the British GP. If the season continues beyond Europe, it will end with races in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi in December.
“We actually don’t even know the amount of races we are going to do,” McLaren and future Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz Jr. said. “It’s an unprecedented scenario.”
In terms of health and safety, Spielberg’s Red Bull Ring, cut off from any major towns and cities, provides reassurance in the face of virus fears.
But strict health and safety measures have been put into place. From media representatives, to drivers and teammates, everyone would have to test negative for Coronavirus, with further tests being carried out every five days. Individual racing teams are not allowed to interact with each other, both on or off the track with the media having no access to the team area.
Under usual circumstances, drivers would face a host of questions , however reporters now would have to settle for virtual press conferences to minimise contact.
And, of course, Spielberg’s 4.3-kilometer circuit will be largely empty. It is normally swarming with tents, camper vans, makeshift barbecues and tens of thousands of orange-shirted Max Verstappen fans.
In this world of new normals, the way in which formula one will make a return remains uncertain, just like so many other things this year.
