Circuit officials at the Hungoraring say they are ‘open to all solutions’ to ensure the Hungarian Grand Prix goes ahead as planned on August 2. CEO of Hungaroring Sport Zsolt Gyulay confirmed that the circuit is open to helping F1 and Liberty Media with any solutions in order to run the event and that the government is fully supportive of the event going ahead.
“We are in a daily contact with the rights holder,” Gyulay told Autosport. “Liberty is aware that we are open to all kinds of solutions, and we are ready for organising a race. The way it takes is definitely beyond our control, and it depends on the situation the country is in. We are waiting for the relaxation of the measures, and how and when life goes back to normal. Along with the Austrians and the British we have confirmed, too, that we are fully committed to starting the F1 season. We have talked about the option of a closed-door race, but its protocol is still being developed for Austria. If it has been developed certainly we will comply with the regulations as well. Of course, a lot depends on the government’s set of rules, too. However, one thing is sure, for both the government and the Hungaroring it is very important to organise the Hungarian Grand Prix.”
Circuit ‘fully prepared’ for F1 to go ahead on August 2
Expanding on what solutions could be needed to allow the race to go ahead, Gyulay said the circuit is open to a behind closed doors event, despite the obvious financial loss to promoters.
Gyulay also confirmed that a weekend with fan attendance is also not out of the question yet, but there has yet been no thought of a change from the original August 2nd date, assuring the circuit is fully ready for F1 to go ahead as planned.
“There are two options. The first one is that we organise a race closed to fans, similarly to Austria,” Gyulay commented.
“Certainly, it would mean a huge loss for the promoter. The second option is to organise the race with fans, in which we have 35 years of experience. Last year we broke the audience number record, and based on the pre-sold tickets, a similar number was expected for this year’s race. Of course, ticket purchase has stopped since the coronavirus outbreak started, and we must adapt to the new situation. Although the utilisation of the track is suspended now, we continuously do the maintenance at the circuit, which is in good condition, since we are prepared for the Hungarian GP to be held on 2 August.” – he added.
Regarding the race at Monza, Automobile Club d’Italia president Angelo Sticchi Damiani has labelled reports of the Italian Grand Prix being cancelled as “fake news”.
Reports in the German press suggested that the race at Monza would not be going ahead at all this year due to global pandemic, but Damiani has insisted that is not the case and they are still planning to hold a race in some form.
“We are convinced that Monza will be there, although almost certainly behind closed doors,” Damiani told Sky Sport 24 in Italy. We don’t understand why fake news about a cancellation of the Italian GP from the 2020 calendar has come out. We don’t have the crystal ball to know what will happen in early September. We hope the emergency is over, we are hoping for a miracle, but today we are gearing up for a closed-door GP.
Damiani also ruled out the possibility of Monza running a race on a reversed track, saying it simply was not possible: “No, the circuits have one way to go,” he said – “With all the barriers, the kerbs and the structure of the entire circuit, it is made to be run one way. That’s why you can’t think of doing hard, expensive work with [new] spaces and escape routes for the other direction.”
The Italian Grand Prix was originally slated for September 6 on what was supposed to be a record-breaking 22-race schedule in 2020.
Hopes of a race taking place at Zandvoort this year rests on whether Formula 1 will provide the circuit with financial support, says Dutch Grand Prix sporting director Jan Lammers. The Dutch Grand Prix was set to return to the F1 calendar for the first time following a 35-year absence this weekend at the re-profiled Zandvoort circuit, but the race was among 10 to be called off due to the coronavirus crisis. F1 hoped to reschedule the event for a later slot during the European summer but an extended ban on all public events in the Netherlands means a race will not be able to be held in the country until September at the earliest.
During an interview with Dutch broadcaster RTL GP, Lammers admitted that a race being staged at Zandvoort in 2020 would depend on whether F1 could bankroll the event, given it would more than likely take place without fans in attendance.
“You are talking about quite large sums of money, which obviously not only Zandvoort has to cough up, but also in other countries,” Lammers said.
“It is therefore also a bit about how deep the pockets of the FOM are. How much they can handle at all during this difficult period.”
Lammers, who previously said a Dutch Grand Prix without fans was an “impossible” prospect, has now not ruled out a behind closed doors race, but only if fans backed the plan.
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