Formula 1 has been given the go-ahead by the UK government to hold two races at Silverstone this summer, BBC Sport has been told.
F1 sources say people involved in elite sports events will be exempt from a requirement on international travellers to self-isolate for 14 days.
Sports will be required to submit and win approval for a detailed plan of their movements and activities.
The government is expected to confirm the move later this month.
The exemption should also allow the Champions League to resume and this summer’s cricket Test series in England to go ahead.
An F1 spokesperson said: “We welcome the government’s efforts to ensure elite sport can continue to operate and their support for our return to racing.
“We will maintain a close dialogue with them in the coming weeks as we prepare to start our season in the first week of July.”
On Saturday, the culture secretary, Oliver Dowden, announced that sport can resume behind closed doors subject to strict conditions, with social distancing maintained where possible.
He said: “Football, tennis, horse racing, Formula 1, cricket, golf, rugby, snooker and others – all are set to return to our screens shortly.”
F1 bosses have been working on extensive plans to ensure their races are as safe as possible in the context of the coronavirus crisis that has laid waste the start of the season, which has seen the first 10 races called off.
The races will be held behind closed doors, with no spectators allowed, and teams will take the minimum number of operational staff.
Personnel will be tested before travelling to ensure they are virus-free, flown on charter jets and tested every couple of days while at the events.
Teams will be kept apart from each other and stay in different hotels, to which they will travel by bus to minimise contact with the public.
F1 is poised to confirm the European part of a rescheduled 2020 season early this week, with plans to start the campaign with two races in Austria on 5 and 12 July, followed by a third in Hungary on 19 July.
The Silverstone events would follow in early August, before – it is believed – further races in Spain, Belgium and Italy.
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
Source link
