Formula 1 told it has a "50-50" shot of racing this year

Formula 1

Formula 1 told it has a "50-50" shot of racing this year

Formula E boss Alejandro Agag also concerned for his own series

Sam Hall

Thursday 30 April 2020 12:12 Updated: 12:40

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Formula 1 is facing only a "50-50" shot of going racing this year, according to Formula E founder Alejandro Agag.

Agag claims his own series is also staring at the same situation after being forced into lockdown following a five-race opening to a season that started in November.

Asked as to the hopes of either F1 or FE staging events this year, Agag told Reuters: "I guess it's a 50-50 chance. The same for us.

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"Are the borders going to be open? We don't know yet. The quarantine period if you go to one place being imposed, we don't know yet."

Agag is hoping to follow F1's lead and try to stage races without fans.

"We are going to try the same thing," said Agag. "We are going to try to put some races behind closed doors.

"So I would try to do what Formula One is doing, but I am not sure if it is doable."

While F1 has yet to start, with the opening 10 races either cancelled or postponed, the fact Formula E has already staged five races means that under the regulations only a further three events need to be held for it to be declared a valid championship by the FIA.

Despite racing almost exclusively on public roads, Agag says Formula E has been in talks with various UK circuits to replace the London round as the ExCeL, around which the circuit is based, has been converted into a temporary hospital.

Brands Hatch, Silverstone and Donington Park are all potential options.

"We could race in Britain," added Agag. "We are talking with some tracks in the UK to do it and maybe even more than a race.

"We will try and make at least two or three more races in a closed circuit. I think that should be possible in the month of August. But again, who knows?.

"I'm thinking 90% they will be in Europe. We still have an option outside of Europe that we're looking at, that is still alive, but we will decide later on."