Formula 1 fans “must completely forget the current 2020 calendar” as the sport plans an all-new schedule after the coronavirus.
Currently, the first eight races of this year have either been postponed or cancelled with the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal currently the first scheduled to go ahead on June 14.
Speaking to the Huffington Post, race promoter Francois Dumontier was “optimistic, but also very lucid” as he put the chances of the event going ahead at “50/50” and revealed a decision will come in the next month or so.
“If we have an announcement to make, we will make it between Easter and May 1st,” he said.
“In fact, we agreed on that time with Formula 1 because it is the period which coincides with the farthest when I can start to assemble the installations for the Grand Prix.”
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Indeed, Dumontier explained that unlike the Monaco GP, which has completely cancelled its 2020 race, preparing the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, which lies dormant except for the F1 race each year, was a much quicker, easier process.
It is for that reason then that should the June date not go ahead, the Canadian GP promoter says a new date would be found.
“There are two possible announcements: the race will take place on June 14, or there will be a postponement,” he said.
“The Canadian GP will not be cancelled but rather moved to the new redesigned calendar that (F1 CEO) Chase Carey wants to adopt.
“We must completely forget the current F1 calendar. Countries will change dates, we will have to make certain concessions or accommodations,” he continued.
“Obviously, as we know, I will not be able to present the Canadian GP in November in Montreal. It has to be within the months that allow it but we would be talking more about the end of summer or the beginning of autumn.”
The other race currently set to take place in June is the French GP at Paul Ricard, and the boss of that event, Eric Boullier, is pushing ahead with preparations there.
“For us, we are still three months away, so it’s too far ahead to consider anything,” he told GPFans. “We are looking at all scenarios, but today, our responsibility is to go ahead.”
Meanwhile, the British GP at Silverstone is under increasing danger after Motorsport UK cancelled all events in the country until the end of June.
That race is currently scheduled for July 19.