15/05/2020
NEWS STORY
Silverstone confirms that it is to host back-to-back Grands Prix, subject to government approval.
"I am delighted to confirm that Silverstone and Formula 1 have reached an agreement in principle to host two races behind closed doors this summer," said Silverstone Managing Director, Stuart Pringle in a statement today.
"However these races will be subject to Government approval, as our priority is the safety of all involved and strict compliance with COVID-19 regulations," he added.
"I would like to thank all our fans who have been so supportive throughout this and to assure them we are determined to do all we can to help Formula 1 put on a show this summer."
However, having previously appeared to have counted his chickens just a little too early, Pringle subsequently told the Guardian: "We're not talking dates because F1 are still trying to knit their calendar together and there seems to be a certain amount of flexibility.
"It is very much subject to government approval," he stressed. "If the government aren't happy, it won't happen."
While the announcement suggests that both parties have resolved the previous stumbling block in terms of the financial arrangement, with the Northamptonshire track said to be seeking around £15m from F1, there remains the little matter of the government approval.
From the end of May, the government is set to introduce a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all travellers arriving in the UK, and while there has been talk of exemptions this has not yet been confirmed.
Meanwhile, as we have recently reported, the government is considering the advice given by leading virologists who claim that all drivers and team personnel will need to be tested twice over a period of 5-days before the event, and this would involve a 5-day isolation period.
Today's news follows the Belgian government's green flag for the race at Spa-Francorchamps, which like Silverstone, would be held behind closed doors.