Silverstone in favour of midweek grand prix

Michelle Foster
Red Bull Silverstone

Jonathan Hoggard completes Red Bull test at Silverstone.

Having put Silverstone’s name into the hat for multiple races, managing director Stuart Pringle says one of those could be a midweek evening grand prix.

Six weeks after the Australian GP was set to take place, the 2020 Formula 1 championship has yet to begin with the opening nine races either cancelled or postponed.

The circus has targeted a July start with the possibility for two races at Austria’s Red Bull Ring, one of which could be a Wednesday evening race.

Silverstone, which has previously said it is open to hosting as many as three races, says it too would be keen on a midweek event.

Asked about double-headers or midweek races, Pringle told The-Race that is “absolutely just as viable from a Silverstone perspective.

“If it’s within the same weekend, then it’s very much a Formula 1 call because they control the timetabling and that gets signed off by the FIA.

“But we could make the place available on consecutive weekends, or for a midweek or frankly more if it was asked.

“Whatever it takes to be supportive of their needs we will flex accordingly.”

Silverstone, however, doesn’t have lights surrounding the track.

That, Pringle says, won’t be a problem as long as the evening grand prix is held during the British summer.

“Think it’d be fine,” he said. “Honestly, the previous rules just don’t apply.

“We don’t have lights, but if we were talking about July or August or something they’re long days aren’t they? But I don’t know why you wouldn’t run in the day.”

As for talk of running the track in reverse, Pringle says that is out as it would require alterations to be made to the track and its surrounding safety barriers.

“Probably the most far-fetched example of breaking the old rule book, status quo, is running in reverse, because we know there are sections of the track that would require quite a bit of work and that’s probably not practical or sensible.” he said.

“But in terms of when you ran, or the format you ran to, all that is flexible.

“We’re just saying, we’ll work with Formula 1 to come up with a solution that gets the championship under way.

“We’ll do as much or as little as we’re asked under any reasonable format to try and assist because we’re a long-term stakeholder in Formula 1 and we want it to come back fit and healthy and as quickly as possible.”

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