Silverstone has effectively opened its diary for Formula 1 with the circuit willing to host races from Monday to Sunday.
With seven of the 10 teams located nearby, the British Grand Prix venue is being seen as an essential hub to catch up on races with as many as three touted on a new 2020 calendar.
Last week, however, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko claimed one completely new idea for F1 being considered for the Austrian GP, was a double-header event with the second race taking place across Tuesday and Wednesday evening.
And asked if Silverstone would consider their own midweek race, managing director Stuart Pringle was fully onboard.
“If it’s within the same weekend, then it’s very much a Formula 1 call because they control the timetabling and that gets signed off by the FIA, but we could make the place available on consecutive weekends, or for midweek or frankly more if it was asked,” he told The Race.
“Whatever it takes to be supportive of their needs we will flex accordingly.”
Also Read:
- Liberty to be ‘thoughtful’ in deciding potential scenarios for 2020 F1 season
- F1 confirms ‘significantly’ different 2020 calendar will be published soon
The thought of an evening race of course usually conjures up thoughts of the Abu Dhabi GP, which starts at dusk and ends at night.
Silverstone though admits any race would have to start and finish before it got dark.
“Think it’d be fine,” he said of an evening race. “Honestly, the previous rules just don’t apply.
“We don’t have lights, but if we were talking about July or August or something they’re long days aren’t they? But I don’t know why you wouldn’t run in the day.”
Another unique element considered was using different layouts of Silverstone to add some variety, with the pre-2009 design still available and shorter versions too.
Initially, Pringle even claimed a reverse race could be considered but has now ruled it out.
“Probably the most far-fetched example of breaking the old rule book, status quo, is running in reverse because we know there are sections of the track that would require quite a bit of work and that’s probably not practical or sensible,” he said.
“But in terms of when you ran, or the format you ran to, all that is flexible.
“We’re just saying, we’ll work with Formula 1 to come up with a solution that gets the championship underway.
“We’ll do as much or as little as we’re asked under any reasonable format to try and assist because we’re a long-term stakeholder in Formula 1 and we want it to come back fit and healthy and as quickly as possible.”