SILVERSTONE 2020 NOW IN DOUBT

No sooner had we learned that Silverstone had agreed a double header of Formula1 at the Northamptonshire circuit, the news of a possible showstopper on the event surfaced.

The UK Government is considering a 14 Day quarantine policy on all travel into the UK with exemptions only for those flying in from the Republic of Ireland. Under the draft policy, those arriving in the UK would have to self-isolate at a private residence.

If the policy goes ahead, it’s also not clear how long the new travel restriction would be in place. At the moment much of the debate is speculative as no real detail has yet been shared outside of Downing Street, including whether the policy only applies to air travel or also covers sea and the channel tunnel entry.

This has immediately put the event at Silverstone in doubt with Formula1 still in regular dialogue with the UK government in the hope that they can get some form of exemption in place for those travelling in a professional capacity for F1. At this stage the chances of success don’t look promising with the government looking unlikely to include sports in the list of exempt categories.

Formula1 senior management could now as a last resort consider standing alongside the airline industry who are lobbying government with the support of some senior Conservative MP’s to implement “air bridges”, which involves creating specific bilateral travel links between countries. If agreed, it would allow the free flow of travellers and provide “quarantine immunity”. If this effort fails, it’s likely that Silverstone will be off the F1 schedule for 2020.

Quarantine also creates a bigger headache for Formula1. With 7 of the 10 teams on the grid based in the UK, the impact of the UK Governments decision could be even wider reaching than just the British Grand Prix. Teams could be forced to set up camp outside the UK to ensure the other races overseas could be held, which in itself would require another rework of the race schedule and a complete rethink on logistics. For more insight on the logistical task to move the F1 paddock across the globe read our feature. Racing Behind Closed Doors – The Logistics Of Formula 1

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