Formula 1 Gets Go Ahead For Silverstone Races From UK Government

Formula 1 has been given the green light to proceed with two races at the Silverstone track this summer, allowing the event to get back on schedule for the 2020 season after the crippling of most sporting activities by the COVID-19 pandemic since February.

According to the BBC, those involved in elite sports events will be exempted from the normal requirements on travelers to self-isolate for two weeks.

The confirmation of the races at Silverstone will be announced early during the week, along with details of the opening leg of the revised 2020 Formula 1 schedule. That entails two races at the Red Bull Ring at the start of July and another race at the Hungaroring.

The exemption will also allow the champions league to resume in some capacity while the summer's cricket Test series in England is set to go ahead.

A spokesperson for Formula 1 told BBC that they welcome the government's efforts to make sure elite sport can continue operating and their support for the return to racing.

They expected to have a close dialogue with the government in the coming days as Formula 1 prepares to begin the season in the first week of July.

Secretary of culture Oliver Dowden said Saturday that sport would resume behind closed doors subject to strict conditions as social distancing continued were possible.

The FIA and Formula 1 executives have been working on plans to get things back to normal as the motoring world was not operational for the better part of this year so far. The objective is to ensure the races are as safe as possible.

That means holding them behind closed doors without any spectators, and the teams will have the minimum number of staff to operate the cars.

All of these events are to be held behind closed doors with a limit of 80 staff per team. No more than 60 personnel will be allowed to work on the car.

The formula also mentioned plans to conduct regular COVID-19 tests for those present in the paddock.

Personnel will be tested, however, before traveling to make sure they are virus-free and flown on charter jets.

Formula 1 also has plans for two races in Austria in July and one in Hungary on the 19th.

The Silverstone events should happen in early August before subsequent races in Italy, Belgium, and Spain.