Ecclestone says all Formula 1 has is 'hope'

Former Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has said that pressing on with the 2020 season without a firm calendar in place is 'not good for anyone'.

The 2020 Formula 1 season is set to begin on July 5 with races on consecutive weekends in Austria, but Ecclestone warns that the UK government could step in at any point and prematurely end the season.

“I thought at the beginning of all this there shouldn’t be a championship this year,” Ecclestone told the Evening Standard. “It’s not up to Formula One to say what’s going to happen. The Government can easily say, ‘Terribly sorry, it can’t happen’ and there might be a second wave of this virus and then everything that’s planned has to suddenly stop.

“This season is not good for anyone and the biggest problem they’ve got is not knowing when this is going to finish. If someone could say that this is going to end in September or October, you can make plans. But how can you make plans? All you have is hope.”

With multiple races set to be held at the same venue, Austria, Silverstone and Bahrain set to be utilised in this fashion, Ecclestone questioned what the public perception of the season would be in years to come.

He added: “It’s a funny championship, isn’t it? You have the Austrian Grand Prix and the next week the same thing but called something else.

“So, you’ll look at the championship, someone wins and you’re not quite sure what they’ve won. And people will forever say that it was a lucky win because it wasn’t really a championship.”

Before you go...

Smedley rates the 2019 season as Vettel's strongest

ROKiT remain 'fully committed to existing motorsport partnerships'

Related

Formula 1

F1 reveals viewing figure drop for European based 2020 season

• February 8, 2021 11:45

Pirelli

Pirelli boss hails "miracle" despite "nightmare" 2020

• February 7, 2021 14:30