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British F1 Grand Prix 'impossible' without quarantine exemption

F1 bosses believe that it would be "impossible" to go ahead with the British Grand Prix if the UK...



British F1 Grand Prix 'impossi...
Other Sports

British F1 Grand Prix 'impossible' without quarantine exemption

F1 bosses believe that it would be "impossible" to go ahead with the British Grand Prix if the UK government enforce a strict two-week quarantine.

The season has yet to get underway due to the coronavirus pandemic but it is understood that it could start with two races at Austria's Red Bull Ring on 5 & 12 July.

The plan is to then move on to Silverstone for a race on 26 July with the second taking place there a week later but the British governments intention to ask overseas travellers to self-isolate for 14 days would hinder F1's plans.

"A 14-day quarantine would make it impossible to have a British Grand Prix this year," an F1 spokesperson told the GPFans website.

"It has a major impact on literally tens of thousands of jobs linked to F1 and the supply chains. If all elite sport is to return to TV, then exemptions must be provided."

There are other governments around Europe considering similar rules with regard to incoming travellers which would give F1 bosses further issues in trying to cobble some sort of season together in 2020.

A quarantine in the UK or in any other country could also pose a problem for football clubs still participating in European competition.

The Europa League and Champions League are still at the last-16 stage and the UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has already revealed that the governing body plans to run those two tournaments off by August.

There is some hope to be taken from the comments made by the UK's transport secretary on Monday.

Grant Shapps has suggested that people arriving into the UK from countries with a low infection rate could be exempted from the rules.

"We should indeed consider further improvements, for example things like air bridges enabling people from other countries who have themselves achieved lower levels of coronavirus infection to come to the country," said Shapps.

"So those are active discussions but will go beyond what will initially be a blanket situation."

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Aleksander Ceferin British Grand Prix F1 Formula 1 Silverstone UEFA