Formula 1 is anticipating further disruption from Covid-19 into the 2021 season, according to McLaren CEO Zak Brown.
This year saw the latest start of a championship in its 70-year history after the first 10 races of the original calendar were cancelled or postponed due to coronavirus.
Since July, however, F1 has been playing catch-up, holding nine races in 11 weeks and confirming a revised schedule with 17 Grands Prix consisting of some new circuits and doubleheaders at the same venue.
Bur after F1 CEO Chase Carey had previously voiced optimism that 2021 would be back somewhat to normal in terms of the calendar, Brown feels the pandemic will continue to force amendments.
“I think Covid continuing is a major concern to everybody beyond Formula 1,” he said last weekend at Mugello. “In McLaren, it has obviously been financially devastating to the world.
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“I’m anticipating some Covid impact into 2021. I don’t personally believe December 31 is going to come and go and January 1 is a new day and Covid is behind us, so we’re already braced for some Covid impact.
“Certainly not to the level, we hope, [of] this year where we stopped racing, but we realise that there could be softness in the marketplace and we are, as McLaren, well-prepared and anticipating that.”
RaceFans has also reported the FIA as saying it expects the current protocols which require the use of face masks, sees restricted access and movement in the paddock and a compulsory negative test before entry, to remain in place for next year.
Although the coming races are expected to see fans make a greater comeback, with 30,000 set for Sochi and 40,000 tickets sold for the Turkish GP within six hours of going on sale.
But as many countries start to see another rise in cases and the Northern hemisphere faces as uncertain winter, Brown is staying vigilant.
“At the end of the day, if it does rise again, we will have to react accordingly,” he added.
“But I’m confident the industry will do what we did this year, which is react as a whole because what hurts one F1 team will ultimately hurt all 10 F1 teams.
“So I think we will align again if some new action is needed to be taken to address the issue again.”
