Spa and Silverstone get the go ahead

Silverstone managing director Stuart Pringle has revealed that the iconic British circuit and Formula 1 have reached an agreement that will see the British Grand Prix take place twice when the 2020 F1 season finally gets underway.

After the coronavirus outbreak has put Formula 1 on hold, the sport has been working flat-out to establish a curtailed 2020 calendar. While F1 CEO and Chairman Chase Carey and F1 motorsport boss Ross Brawn have hinted that the action could get underway in Spielberg, Austria on July 5, it has also been rumored that the field could head to Silverstone following the event at the Red Bull Ring.

However, the current situation in Great Britain, the high number of infections and deaths have cast doubt on the event. As a result of the worsening situation, the UK government is considering imposing a two-week quarantine on all international arrivals.

Stuart Pringle told BBC Sport that his organization has finally reached an agreement about a double-header race at the Silverstone track.

"I am delighted to confirm that Silverstone and Formula 1 have reached an agreement in principle to host two races behind closed doors this summer. However these races will be subject to government approval, as our priority is the safety of all involved and strict compliance with Covid-19 regulations.”

"I would like to thank all our fans who have been so supportive throughout this and to assure them we are determined to do all we can to help Formula 1 put on a show this summer," he concluded.

Despite the agreement, F1 needs to secure an exemption to the international arrivals rule that would permit staff and drivers to compete as normal.

The Belgian Grand Prix, scheduled for August 30 has been under threat since the government announced the ban on mass gathering until the end of that month. With a Formula 1 grand prix requiring around 1200 people even if teams are asked to reduce the number of members present at the event, the restriction has cast doubts over the fate of the race.

However, the Belgian government approved the possibility of the race at F1’s currently longest circuit. The race can be only hosted on its original date, albeit behind closed doors without fans.

The race’s commercial director Stijn De Boever has revealed that the Belgian Grand Prix organisation has been given the go ahead from the government.

"We finally got the green light from the government to organise the race. We already had a basic agreement in place with F1, but we also needed the go-ahead from the government to be able to proceed," De Boever told Autosport.