Authorities Not Ruling Out Hosting Austrian GP Behind Closed Doors

With a number of F1 races dropping out of the running, the Austrian GP authorities may be in a position to host a race. The good news is that the government looked favourably on hosting this year’s race at the Red Bull Ring. However, Sports Minister and Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler placed a condition that it must take place without spectators.

So far, the opening nine rounds of the Formula One season are called off. This is largely owing to the novel coronavirus outbreak around the world. Provisionally, the Austrian GP is still on schedule for its July 5th slot, though the earlier week’s French Grand Prix is in doubt.

“We don’t want to get in the way,” Kogler told reporters. “This must then be considered within the framework of the existing restrictions on entry and exit (into the country). I don’t want to anticipate if an exemption will be needed here or there.”

Is a 2020 Austrian GP feasible?

Kogler admitted that staging an F1 race is far more different from a football match without fans. He attributed the difficulties to the number of technical staff involved in the sport.

The proof in the pudding is the fact that all 10 Formula One teams have around 60 personnel each. Meanwhile, Formula One boasts of a large staff, including technical and safety officials. Other personnel include the media and broadcasters, which brings the total race attendance to more than 1,000.

In situations where F1 has a few support races, the attendance practically skyrockets. However, Kogler confessed that travel restrictions could be a bigger hurdle than social distancing rules.

The Red Bull Racing team are pushing for the Austrian GP to run without a hitch, since they own the circuit. Though it is note-worthy that when push comes to shove, the situation could be dicey. The question now is, will Formula One fans actually see a real life F1 car hit the tarmac this year? or will we be limited to seeing drivers race the entire season virtually? At the moment, circuits are disappearing from the calendar at the drop of a hat.