Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix, would “be delighted” to host more than one Formula 1 race in 2020 if required.
With the current season yet to officially begin after the season-opening Australian Grand Prix was called off at the very last minute and eight of the 22-races already cancelled or postponed with more expected, F1 bosses are scrambling to come up with a plan to ensure the season goes ahead later in the year.
Several ideas have been floated including running into January ’21, cutting the number of races to 15 and reshuffling the weekend format to just two days in a bid to squeeze in more back-to-back events without straining the teams.
Some changes, such as relocating the summer shutdown and delaying the ’21 rules by a year have already been approved.
But an idea to run more than one race at the same venue in order to expand the calendar without creating a logistical nightmare has been floated and it’s something Silverstone would be open to, according to managing director Stuart Pringle.
“All I’ve done is say to Formula 1 we are willing to work with them in any way, shape or form that they think is in the best interests of the championship” he told Sky Sports F1.
“The majority of the teams are within a stone’s throw of the circuit, so operationally it would be pretty straightforward.
“We’ve got the fixed infrastructure, the staff could go home to their own beds of an evening in large parts, so if that’s how we can help then I’d be delighted to do that.”
To mix things up, Pringle said the circuit could even run the second race in the opposite direction.
“We’re not licensed to run the other way but these are extraordinary times and I guess that extraordinary decisions are being made, so nothing is off the table.”
Silverstone is set to make a decision at the end of April as to whether the British GP can go ahead in July, but Pringle says there’s no reason why the race can’t happen later in the year, as late as September.
“If you can play cricket, you can have a motor racing event,” he said, referencing the fact County Cricket runs into late September.
