British Grand Prix set to go ahead as Boris Johnson moves to save F1 double-header at Silverstone

The British Grand Prix double header has been given backing to go ahead by Prime Minister Boris Johnson but Silverstone have accepted they could be forced to shift to a later August date.

An announcement last week that sport would not be exempt from the 14-day travel quarantine when it comes into play on June 8 threw the race’s 70th anniversary into doubt.

But Johnson yesterday told ministers to “make Formula 1 happen”, with F1 bosses willing to rejig the 2020 calendar once more with Silverstone seen as the season’s jewel in the crown following the Monaco Grand Prix’s previous cancellation.

Formula 1 said of the potential British Grand Prix double header: “We are working constructively with Government on our safe restart to the season, and those discussions are ongoing.”

F1 bosses and Silverstone must now wait another two weeks at least for the next review over any possible exemptions.

But Silverstone boss Stuart Pringle said the track was flexible with regards to dates to enable its two planned races to go ahead.

He said: “We’ve got our original dates that we’ve been holding and talking around in mid-to-late July but actually we’ve got a degree of flexibility through August as well.

“I don’t think that finding a date for Formula 1 is going to be a problem or indeed two dates. What we need is the green light for Government, and that will take time.”

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