What has changed during the Corona Virus delay?

• Formula One will lastly get underway in Austria this weekend. We take a look at what has changed in the four-month watch for the new season.

At lengthy final, the 2020 Formula One season will lastly start this week.

The motion will start with the Austrian Grand Prix behind closed doorways at the Red Bull Ring, with the Steiermark Grand Prix being held at the similar observe the following weekend.

Silverstone can even stage two races this yr, with Hungary, Spain, Belgium and Italy the solely different confirmed occasions as issues stand.

The season had been as a result of get underway with the Australian Grand Prix in March, but it surely was cancelled after a member of the McLaren storage examined constructive for COVID-19.

Plenty of issues have changed since then, so we now have recapped the greatest tales during the four-month Corona Virus hiatus.

Vettel resolution sparks driver adjustments

Ferrari introduced that four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel wouldn’t stay with the staff past the finish of this season.

The German has but to seek out one other seat in F1, with Carlos Sainz to switch him at Ferrari and Daniel Ricciardo leaving Renault for McLaren.

Someone’s excited to be again #essereFerrari #Seb5 pic.twitter.com/j9IY0jEhAT

— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) June 29, 2020

Toto Wolff confirmed Mercedes are monitoring Vettel’s state of affairs, although Valtteri Bottas claims he was instructed by the Silver Arrows there may be nothing to the story.

Renault are but to reveal who will take Ricciardo’s place in 2021, with a shock return for two-time champion Fernando Alonso mooted.

Regulation adjustments pushed again to 2022

The pandemic compelled a lot of groups to furlough employees or cut back the dimension of their workforce, whereas F1 introduced its necessary mid-season shutdown interval ahead and prolonged it.

Together with the discount in earnings from the lack of racing, sweeping adjustments to the technical laws that had been anticipated to problem Mercedes’ dominance of the collection have been pushed again.

Teams will now contest the 2021 season in the similar automobiles as this yr, with the new guidelines as an alternative coming into impact from 2022.

#F1 – Following unanimous settlement between the FIA, @F1 and all groups, the implementation of the Technical Regulations as a result of take impact from the 2021 season might be postponed till 2022.https://t.co/Sc9EFEGL2O

— FIA (@fia) March 19, 2020

Budget cap carried out and decreased

In a bid to stage the taking part in area in F1, for the first time a value cap will come into impact from the 2021 season. This will restrict the quantity groups can spend on their automobiles to $145million.

The cap had initially been set at $175m however was lowered to keep away from the risk of some constructors spending as much as that restrict whereas others discovered themselves incapable of doing so as a result of the monetary affect of the Corona Virus disaster.

In 2022 the cap might be decreased to $140m, earlier than dropping to $135m the following yr and remaining there. This was carried out to make it simpler for the greater groups to regulate the dimension and scale of their operations.

COST CAP

The funds restrictions, already slated for introduction in 2021, has been considerably decreased for subsequent season#F1 pic.twitter.com/fjDVkP4ZQx

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 27, 2020

Mercedes manoeuvring

A key member of Mercedes’ six-year domination of F1 has left the staff.

Managing director Andy Cowell, who had direct duty for the F1 energy unit, helped set up Mercedes at the pinnacle of the sport in his 16 years with the staff, however Hywel Thomas took over from him on July 1.

NEWS: Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains proclaims a revised senior administration construction, Andy Cowell to depart his place as Managing Director https://t.co/vtFbalEzcy

— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) June 15, 2020

Mercedes staff principal Wolff purchased a stake in Aston Martin, which is managed by Racing Point proprietor Lawrence Stroll.

Wolff insisted a private funding “has nothing to do with Formula One”, regardless of the reality Racing Point might be rebranded as Aston Martin on the 2021 grid.

A push for variety

Six-time champion Lewis Hamilton criticised the Formula One group for its silence in the wake of the dying of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis in May, which sparked anti-racism protests round the globe.

The 35-year-old Briton subsequently partnered with the Royal Academy of Engineering to create The Hamilton Commission, how extra younger individuals from black backgrounds could be introduced into motorsport or be employed elsewhere in the area of engineering. F1 has additionally arrange a brand new activity pressure to extend variety and inclusion in the sport.

Mercedes signalled their dedication to combating racism and discrimination by unveiling an all-black livery in assist of the Black Lives Matter motion, switching from their conventional Silver Arrows design.

Hamilton and Bottas will race in black overalls, whereas ‘End Racism’ will characteristic on the halo of each automobiles and the F1 initiative #WeRaceAsOne will seem on the mirrors.

https://t.co/8GE4K3UwRK

— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) June 29, 2020

Published 01 Jul 2020, 12:32 IST