If only the 2020 Australian Formula One Grand Prix had gone ahead. We were so close to that vital first race of the season where we initially find out which teams and drivers are actually the quickest. But it was not to be with first, one McLaren team member confirmed to be positive to COVID-19, the Premier of Victoria about to decree that no spectators would be allowed to gather and watch, McLaren deciding to pull out and then the whole weekend stopped before the racing got underway.
Since then there has been a myriad of postponements and cancellations throughout motorsport due to the world wide spread of the Corona virus. So much so, that it is a very fluid situation that we are in. The problem that we have is that many of us are still working on the premise that everything will go back to what it was.
Let’s recap on what may be before us.
In a nut-shell, motorsport in Europe will not take place until July at the earliest, while in the US, various categories are looking at a June start to their series.
While the news this weekend is full of President Trump’s eagerness to re-open America coupled with what looks like Republican protesters outside of Statehouse buildings, it is hard imagine any major sporting activity getting underway in June. It is easy to go into lock-down, but it appears harder to bring a country back out to some degree of normality.
From an outsider’s point of view, if the US or any other country, came out too early, then a second and third wave of COVID-19 could well be triggered which would be a disaster.
IndyCar has cancelled the Detroit Grand Prix (30-31 May), while turning some existing events into double-headers and adding an October race at the Indianapolis road course as part of a revised calendar. The next round will be the Genesys 600 at the Texas Motor Speedway (6 June).
The Indianapolis 500 Presented by Gainbridge has been rescheduled for Sunday 23 August.
At the moment the Indy Pro 2000 will get underway at Road America 19-21 June with a triple header round. Most of the calendar will feature double rounds in order to make up the missed rounds so far this season.
Both the official USF4 and USF3 season’s will open at Circuit of The Americas June 5-7. Schedule with updates will be determined at a later time.
What are other sports in the US doing about resuming?
The National Basketball Association (NBA) suspended the 2019-20 season on March 11. At the moment there is no timeline on when they will resume the season.
The Major League Baseball has also suspended all baseball operations with no date to get underway as yet.
F1 is in their ‘summer-break’ now with the first nine Grand Prix meetings either postponed or cancelled. F1 CEO Chase Carey said, “While at present no-one can be certain of exactly when the situation will improve, it will improve and when it does, we will be ready to go racing again.”
June’s French Grand Prix is likely to be the tenth race to be pushed back to a later date. Even UK motor sport commentators are saying that the British Grand Prix (19 July), if it goes ahead, will be without spectators. Already Belgium has made the decision to ban all mass gatherings until 31 August which will affect the Spa-Francorchamp round, 28-30 August.
WRC state on their wrc.com website that organisers will wait for Government updates regarding the Coronavirus outbreak before decisions are taken on the viability of future FIA World Rally Championship rounds. With the Vodafone Rally de Portugal (21 – 24 May) and Rally Italia Sardegna (4 – 7 June) both postponed, the next WRC round will be Rally of Kenya (16-19 Jul 2020).
It is difficult to see any of the three remaining ‘away’ rallies taking place which also includes Rally NZ (3-6 Sept) and Rally Japan (19-22 Nov) being part of the 2020 WRC calendar.
The WEC’s Season 8 will restart with the TOTAL 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on Saturday 15th August (without any spectators), the traditional prelude to the 24 Hours of Le Mans which, as previously announced by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, will be held on 19/20th September. Replacing the cancelled 1000 Miles of Sebring will be the 8 Hours of Bahrain on 21st November which will close Season 8 of the FIA WEC.
FE: Formula E together with the FIA have jointly decided to extend the season suspension until at least the end of June
Following the announcement that the Dutch, Spanish and Monaco Formula 1 Grands Prix have been postponed or cancelled, the rounds of the FIA Formula 2 and FIA Formula 3 Championships which run alongside F1 at the same venues will consequently be postponed as well.
F2 and F3 CEO Bruno Michel said: “Together with the FIA and Formula 1, we’re closely monitoring the situation and we are studying possible new dates should the situation improve.
In football the Premier League remains in limbo with no clear conclusion in sight yet. Top-flight clubs have a combined 92 matches left to play in the 2019/20 season and there is plenty still to be decided. At this stage the Premier League ‘will only restart when medical guidance allows’.
Over in Japan the Super GT Series has seen the postponement of Rounds 1 to 5 with the sixth round due to be held 11 -12 July at the Okayama International Circuit. The first three Super Formula Series races have been postponed. Now that an emergency declaration has been put in place throughout Japan without a clear end, there is not even a tentative race calendar. Round 4 is ‘set’ for 20-21 June.
Supercars – Interstate travel restrictions seems to be the key variable here. The championship is currently on hold as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, which has led to the postponement of the Tyrepower Tasmania Super400, ITM Auckland Super400, and Pirtek Perth SuperNight.
The forthcoming Winton Super400 over June 5-7 is in doubt and the Townsville 400 on June 26-28 is also at risk.
Meanwhile the NRL is hoping to get underway 28 May, but like Supercars, border restrictions will be a key variable. The other will be gaining political clout. So far politicians on both sides of the Tasman have labelled their efforts as ‘ambitious’.
And New Zealand?
We still have a number of championships still to be decided. These include the TR86, the NZ Formula Ford and the BNT V8s Championships’. It’s doubtful that we will see any round taking place before June.
One would think that these championships should be declared and the planning for an interrupted 2020/21 season should be taking place. This creates certainty.
While the 2021 Castrol Toyota Racing Series is still months away, it will be difficult to see any border restrictions being eased before a vaccine is available globally.
A caveat: The above may well have changed after we publish!
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