French GP in jeopardy as government extends lockdown
The French Grand Prix has become the latest Formula 1 race to be thrown into doubt after the French government extended a ban on all mass-gatherings until mid-July.
The Covid-19 pandemic has forced the opening nine races of the 2020 F1 season to be called off, leaving the French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard on 28 June as the earliest unchanged event on the calendar.
In an address on Monday, French president Emmanuel Marcon confirmed the current limitations in place to combat the spread of COVID-19 will remain in place for the time being.
France entered a one-month lockdown on 17 March, but this has now been extended for an additional month until 11 May. Macron also confirmed the ban on public gatherings is set to continue into July.
“Places where people gather – restaurants, cafes, hotels, cinemas, theatres, concert halls and museums – will remain closed,” Macron said. “Big festivals and events with large public gatherings cannot take place before mid-July at the earliest.
“The [national] situation will be evaluated collectively from mid-May, every week, to adapt things and give you visibility. Our borders with non-European countries will remains closed until further notice.”
The news deals a fresh blow to any hopes of getting the new F1 season started at Paul Ricard, even behind closed doors. F1 bosses are currently working on a number of contingencies to get the new season started when possible with a heavily-revised calendar.
F1 managing director Ross Brawn said last week the calendar could feature as many as 19 races if the season can commence in July. Brawn said the season could also start as late as October and still reach the eight races required to be declared a world championship.
No updates have yet been given on the Austrian Grand Prix, set to take place one week after France on 5 July. Officials at Silverstone will make a decision on the running of the British Grand Prix – scheduled for 19 July – by the end of April.
The announcement by the French government is also likely to result in the cancellation of the Tour de France, scheduled to start in Nice on the same weekend as the grand prix.
Previous article
Norris: I won't be someone I'm not when F1 resumes
Next article
What made Dan Gurney one of racing’s ultimate heroes
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Event | French GP |
| Author | Luke Smith |
Scuderia Ferrari Filming Day Backstage Footage
Back to Work | Valtteri Bottas' 2021 Seat Fit
F1 Explained | Mercedes Power Unit
How McLaren F1’s new investors have already made an impact
The deal McLaren concluded with MSP Sports Capital last year which will help the cash-strapped Formula 1 team pay for much-needed infrastructure upgrades, also points toward the future for F1 itself, says GP Racing's Stuart Codling.
Why Verstappen isn't interested in the hype game
In a pre-season where Red Bull has been unusually quiet, Max Verstappen has also been guarded about the team's fortunes in 2021. Even after trying the RB16B for the first time at Silverstone, the Dutchman was careful to manage expectations
The pros and cons of F1's 2021 rule changes
In the strategy for grand prix racing's future, 2021 represents a significant step towards the goal of closer racing and a more level playing field. That's the theory behind the latest raft of changes, but will they have the desired effect?
What Red Bull is trying to hide with its RB16B launch
Red Bull made no secret of the fact its 2021 F1 car is an evolution of its predecessor, but in keeping the same foundations while hiding some tightly-guarded updates with its RB16B, the team aims to avoid suffering the same pitfalls of previous years
How Albon plans to fight his way out of Red Bull limbo
Alex Albon has faced the media for the first time since he lost his Red Bull drive at the end of 2020 and dropped out of a Formula 1 race seat altogether. He has a history of bouncing back from setbacks, so here's what he must do to rise again
Ranked! Carlin's greatest F1 graduates
Carlin has helped guide enough drivers to Formula 1 to fill out an entire grid, plus a handful of reserves, to create a remarkable alumni list. With Yuki Tsunoda set to join that group, Motorsport.com has ranked its graduates to grace the grand prix scene...
Why Alfa's 2021 launch says more about its 2022 plans
Alfa Romeo launched its C41 with a revised front nose, but there's little to suggest it will surge up the leaderboard in 2021. As the team frankly admits, it's putting its eggs in the basket labelled 2022 and hoping to hold the eighth place it earned last year
Why Gasly’s AlphaTauri haven is a blessing and a curse
Red Bull opted not to re-sign Pierre Gasly even before it decided to drop Alex Albon and so the Frenchman's Formula 1 journey will continue at AlphaTauri. This has positive and negative connotations for one of last season's star performers.
