The British Grand Prix has been given a deadline of the end of April before deciding whether to pull the plug on this year’s race.
The first eight races of the 2020 Formula 1 season have been cancelled or postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic and the next series of races, including Silverstone and races in Canada, France and Austria, are now under threat on the calendar.
Silverstone bosses said in a joint statement with Formula 1 bosses on Wednesday morning that it was in ongoing discussions about the race going ahead on July 19.
It said in a statement: “We fully appreciate that other UK sporting events in July have taken decisions regarding their events but it is important to highlight that the logistics and sporting arrangements differ from Silverstone’s.
“Therefore, our timeline gives us until the end of April to make a final decision. The safety of our fans, colleagues and the F1 community will be our priority and we will continue to engage with the appropriate authorities.”
The British Grand Prix has been an ever-present on F1’s calendar since 1948.
F1 chief executive Chase Carey said he was hopeful of cramming 15 to 18 grands prix into the calendar for 2020 with the season potentially ending as late as January 2021 to allow for a litany of rescheduled races.
