British Grand Prix 2020: F1 dates for back-to-back races at Silverstone confirmed
The Formula 1 British GP will be joined by the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix in August 2020.
From the prospect of no British Grand Prix in 2020 to two races in the space of seven days. Silverstone takes its place in a rescheduled Formula One calendar with back to back grands prix on 2 and 9 August after the government gave assurances that the sport would be exempt from Covid-19 quarantine regulations.
The British Grand Prix and the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone form part of a broadly forecast eight-race opening schedule that begins with two races in Austria and a third in Hungary on successive weekends in July.
Following Silverstone, the European leg of the season is expected to continue with the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, the Belgium Grand Prix at Spa and the Italian Grand Prix in Monza.
Formula One has implemented a unique biosecure environment in which teams and officials attending races are subject to a rigorous testing and screening regime.
The season began behind closed doors with limited personnel estimated at 2000 per race, of whom 1,200 form part of a travelling core. All travellers are being tested and move from venue to venue via charter flights and private transfers. Social distancing is being observed across each race weekend.
The British Grand Prix is regularly competed in front of sell-out crowds, the recent success of Lewis Hamilton bolstering national interest in the event, however Stuart Pringle, Managing Director of Silverstone, commented:
The British Formula 1 fans are the most passionate in the world, but we ask that they do not attempt to travel to the Silverstone area over these first two weekends in August. 2020 is unique and so many sacrifices have already been made by so many, however, as a motorsport community, we must work together to avoid compromising the Formula 1 season and to help Silverstone protect its neighbours.
Lewis Hamilton admits it will be strange to be competing on home soil at the British Grand Prix without his army of F1 fans cheering him on and it is hard to ignore the differences brought on by competing behind closed doors as he prepares to return home for the British Grand Prix without the presence of fans, however he said. “I’m just so grateful that we are back at work and we are so fortunate, all of us here, to be back at work and have our jobs and be able to compete again, but absolutely, the atmosphere for me, it’s night and day different.”
Hamilton leads the 2020 F1 World Championship standings heading to Silverstone, five points ahead of Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas.
