Yes!^^^

 

I bought paid for an annual pass earlier this year. Started watching highlights with 2004 (the first season I followed every race avidly in full) and plan to go up to present day. Then will dip back into the history books (I do have the DVDs of every season from 1980 onwards but not with me where I'm living currently).

Great minds think alike :D It's a nice filler whilst we're waiting for the actual season to start (if it ever does) - I've also been updating a spreadsheet after each race with the points if they were awarded as they are today (25-18-15-etc + 1 for fastest lap).

 

Mack - you can still get a pass (lasts a year) for £19.99 (or £2.29 per month) - I'd certainly say it's worth it given everything you get. Go to: https://www.formula1.com/en/subscribe-to-f1-tv.html#en-GB

Racing Point and Williams have put a number of staff on furlough and given their drivers a pay cut as a result of the coronavirus crisis.

1997 European Grand Prix available to watch on the F1 YouTube channel.

Renault says "the vast majority" of staff at its UK Formula 1 base have been put on enforced absence until at least the end of May.

 

It is applying for the government furlough scheme, which guarantees employees 80% of their earnings up to a maximum of £2,500 a month.

 

Renault said it would top up the government money so all staff receive at least 80% of their salaries.

 

The company will review its position as the coronavirus crisis develops.

 

The move means the "vast majority" of its staff will have been on "total shutdown" from 1 April, Renault said.

Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff has acquired a stake in Aston Martin, but the Austrian remains firmly committed to the future of the Silver Arrows squad in F1, at least for now.

Something for you all to have a go at:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/52228527

Kevin Magnussen won’t rule out returning to either McLaren or Renault, revealing bridges weren’t “burnt” when he parted ways with the teams.

 

The Dane is contracted to Haas for the 2020 season but is a free agent come 2021.

McLaren say Ferrari are "living in denial" over their opposition to plans to lower Formula 1's budget cap.

 

McLaren Racing chief executive Zak Brown rejected claims by Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto that F1 should not "react in a hurry" to the coronavirus crisis.

 

"I'm almost at a loss as to what to say to that," Brown said.

 

"We are going through the biggest crisis the world has seen. You have countries and industries shut down."

 

He added: "To not hurry to address what is going on is a critical mistake."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Formula One plans to start the season in Austria on 5 July and stage between 15 and 18 grands prix this year with the opening races behind closed doors.

 

The announcement came immediately after the French Grand Prix was cancelled and the news the British Grand Prix will be held without spectators if it goes ahead.

 

The French GP on 28 June is the 10th race to fall to the coronavirus outbreak and its cancellation had been expected after Emmanuel Macron banned mass gatherings until July.

 

F1 has been planning and discussing how and when the season may begin and Austria, where lockdown restrictions have been relaxed, was expected to host the first race.

 

 

 

“We are now increasingly confident with the progress of our plans to begin our season,” said Chase Carey, the chairman of the F1 group. “We’re targeting a start to racing in Europe through July, August and beginning of September, with the first race taking place in Austria on 3-5 July.”

 

Carey indicated plans to extend the season into January had not been pursued. “September, October and November would see us race in Eurasia, Asia and the Americas,” he said. “Finishing the season in the Gulf in December with Bahrain before the traditional finale in Abu Dhabi, having completed between 15-18 races. We will publish our finalised calendar as soon as we possibly can.”

 

Silverstone has concluded it would not be possible to stage the British GP with fans present. The circuit is talking to the department for digital, culture, media and sport about a closed-doors race on 19 July.

 

F1 is considering holding two races back to back in Austria and Britain to make the best use of the limited time remaining. All planning is subject to the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus outbreak.

 

“We expect the early races to be without fans but hope fans will be part of our events as we move further into the schedule,” Carey said. “We still have to work out many issues like the procedures for teams to enter and operate in each country. The health and safety of all involved will continue to be priority one and we will only go forward if we are confident we have reliable procedures to address both risks and possible issues.”

 

Races behind closed doors will have no way of recouping hosting fees and it is reasonable to assume F1 would have to waive fees in order for races to take place. Silverstone’s organisers declined to comment on the financial arrangements of a closed-door race but is going ahead with planning, which suggests an agreement has been reached. Staging races without fans goes some way to meeting commitments to broadcasters and sponsors.

 

Should Austria host two races on 5 and 12 July, a week off would then be required if Silverstone was also to hold two, shifting the first race here to 26 July. The circuit has said it is willing to move the event.

 

 

 

The Belgian GP will almost certainly have to move from 30 August, because public gatherings are banned until the end of August. F1’s new calendar is expected to be a complete rescheduling of the remaining events.

 

Silverstone said tickets will be refunded or carried over to next year. The circuit is to give thousands of tickets to NHS and key workers for the 2021 race.

 

“We have left this difficult decision for as long as possible,” said Stuart Pringle, the Silverstone managing director, “but it is abundantly clear, given the conditions in the country and the government requirements in place now and for the foreseeable future, that a grand prix under normal conditions is just not going to be possible.”

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/apr/...one-motor-sport

Amidst chaos & pandemonium, a shining beacon of light.

 

I had tickets to Silverstone this year too, never mind!

Amidst chaos & pandemonium, a shining beacon of light.

 

I had tickets to Silverstone this year too, never mind!

On the plus side - you've already got tickets for next year now

 

It would be good to see F1 back. Doubling up races in Europe makes sense. Almost all of the teams are based within an hour of silverstone and getting a good number of double races underway in Europe minimises travel and therefore risk.

 

I imagine Spain, Italy and China will be goners this year race wise. Can see Australia maybe happening if they continue to have a good handle on the virus but Japan and Singapore like to be off because of the second wave struggles they’re both having. COTA will absolutely happen but is probably the highest risk race for becoming a virus hotspot imo

 

What races do you guys reckon will fail to appear this year?

I think Spain, Holland, Italy and China will be goners.

 

Minimum for a championship is 8 isn't it? Liking see races double up with Austria and Great Britain behind closed doors. Asia races can't see that happening this year.

I think Australia has said they're looking to next year now so that's out. I think Belgium could be out too. The government's laws make the August date impossible and I doubt there's enough room after to reschedule.

 

Italy is definitely on dodgy ground too

 

I can see China and Bahrain being accommodated if the will is there.

Formula 1 plans to create an isolated environment for competitors when it starts racing again in July.

 

Managing director Ross Brawn said they are working on a "kind of biosphere" in which teams and drivers would operate at races without spectators.

 

F1 aims to start the championship with consecutive races at the Red Bull Ring in Austria on 5 and 12 July.

Formula 1 bosses have made a final offer to teams of a sliding scale budget cap reducing from $145m to $130m over the next three years.

 

The proposal is part of changes aimed at addressing the financial impact of the coronavirus in a letter to teams from F1 managing director Ross Brawn.

 

F1 has proposed a cap of $145m (£116m) in 2021, reducing to $140m in 2022 and $135m for the period 2023-25.

@1258438504188690438

Hockenheim ;o

In order to cut travel costs and risks there are realistically 2 circuits in Germany that could host a race, Hockenheim and Nurburging and 4 in Italy - Imola, Monza and however unlikely to happen, Fiorano and Mugello. There are also 4 in Spain that could host a race and one in Portugal.

 

Personally of the Grade 1 circuits, I'd like to see Finland's Kymi Ring, Imola, Sepang and Hockenheim.

Hockenheim, Imola, Sepang, intrigued by Finland's Kymi Ring. Maybe run 2 in Germany, Italy.and Spain in different circuits.