Formula 1 sounds “desperate and misguided” and bosses should only announce the season has been cancelled.
That is the scathing belief of former Pirelli motorsport boss Paul Hembery after F1 CEO Chase Carey revealed on Monday plans are being made for a 15-18 race calendar between July and December.
Under the idea put forward, double-headers and other Grands Prix would take place in Europe before the sport headed slowly East through October, across to the Americas in November and finally to the Middle East in December.
“F1 looks at best desperate and misguided, maybe at worse misleading or was this [statement] for the shareholders and the stock market?” the Briton pondered on social media.
“When the world is in lockdown, and no-one is able to understand or predict the next months, F1 announces it will try and start the season in July.
“Whilst the financial challenges are enormous for the sport, with the viability of teams, promoters and the rights holder itself a big question, today was not the time to announce anything but the cancellation of the F1 season.”
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Hembery’s argument is based solely on the logistical effort at a time when countries are restricting travel and the risk of another Australia-style scenario remains high without a vaccine.
“Maybe F1 knows that there is almost no hope of this calendar actually happening, maybe,” he suggests.
Formula E boss Alejandro Agag echoed the former Pirelli chief by putting F1 and FE’s chances of resuming at “50-50”, but Martin Brundle backed efforts to try and look forward.
“We had to get a Plan B and get this show back on the road,” he told Sky Sports.
“Even though we understand in these circumstances that we’re currently living in there might have to be a Plan C and even a Plan D, we had to have something to aim at.”
Jos Verstappen also remains confident there will be some racing at least this year.
“There will certainly be driving. I’m convinced of that. A year without it is impossible, otherwise teams will really fall over and people will lose their jobs,” he told De Telegraaf.
“There are so many contracts at stake. Of course, health is the most important thing, but shutting down the entire economy for months is also not an option. Everyone should use their common sense. You now notice that people are going to resist.”
And it is the financial fallout which is the biggest reason for F1 bosses pushing to get back on track.
However, Hembery also warns F1 must embark on significant change if it wants to survive.
“It is going to need great leadership and clarity to manage this situation, creative solutions to normality, and a radical rethink of the sport and the calendar to match the real-world constraints and the need to generate the finances to keep F1 alive,” he said.
“With the 2021 commercial agreements still not signed, the sport has no competitors for next season and a very notable risk of the car manufacturers participation ending.
“With this unprecedented situation to deal with, it places a spend in F1 for a car producer at a very low priority level.
“Renault is requesting state support to deal with the crisis. This situation is going to get worse before it gets better.
“For the world in general as it deals with the consequences of Covid-19 and it’s impact, but also for a sport like F1 that has to navigate this new scenario.
“From crisis can come some good, and much opportunity,” he noted. “The possibility to build a more compelling and financially sustainable sport that provides greater spectator interest and places the drivers at the forefront.
“It’s going to need some big bollocks and vision to do it though. It won’t be easy, far from pretty, but it needs confronting now in an honest and transparent manner.”
