LONDON • Formula One remains hopeful about the chances of racing at Britain's Silverstone circuit in July and August, despite quarantine measures confirmed on Friday.
Interior Minister Priti Patel said a 14-day quarantine will be introduced from June 8 for travellers arriving from abroad to guard against a resurgence of the coronavirus.
No exemptions for sport were mentioned, with football clubs competing in Europe also likely affected, but an F1 spokesman and Silverstone manager Stuart Pringle said talks were continuing.
"We have been working closely with government on the implications of the policy for Formula One and Silverstone," said the spokesman. "Those discussions are ongoing at this time with the aim of finding a solution, with safety as our first priority."
Formula One had stressed last week the need for a quarantine exemption by highlighting the impact that the new rules will have on "tens of thousands of jobs linked to F1 and supply chains".
Pringle told Sky Sports television that he was hopeful of a solution.
"I am very clear that the importance of the industry is understood by government," he said.
"So I remain optimistic that a sensible and pragmatic solution, which puts the onus on the sport quite rightly to come up with the right solution, can be found."
The F1 season has yet to start, with three races cancelled - including the Monaco Grand Prix that would have been held this weekend - and seven others postponed.
The sport hopes to get going in Austria in carefully controlled conditions, and using charter flights, with back-to-back races on July 5 and 12 before two more at Silverstone likely on July 26 and Aug 2.
While seven of the 10 teams are based in Britain, a two-week quarantine would pose problems for Italy-based Ferrari and AlphaTauri as well as Alfa Romeo, whose team operate out of Switzerland.
Quarantine would also make it hard for teams to come and go on a tight schedule.
Pringle said Silverstone had flexibility but F1 needed to be sure of movement.
"We can accommodate later dates in August if required, possibly even into September conceptually," he said. "But it's not so much about what we can accommodate... it's can the championship piece together a calendar that allows them to go from country to country?
"And can they have the confidence to commit to that in a timescale that allows the freighting plan to come together because it's the logistics that are the key.
"This is about getting an industry back to work... This is about 40-plus thousand people's livelihoods."
The quarantine restrictions could also have a major impact on the participation of British sides in European football competition.
Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Wolves and Rangers are all still involved in the knockout stages of the Champions League or Europa League.
Separately, F1's 10 teams have agreed on cost-cutting measures including a budget cap of US$145 million (S$206 million) for next year.
The measures will likely be approved by the FIA's World Motor Sport Council this week.
The budget cap, which does not include driver salaries, had been set initially at US$175 million. But some teams had wanted a more drastic limit closer to US$100 million to ensure the sport survives the crisis.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
