Red Bull’s Formula 1 circuit in Austria could once again step up for the sport amid the ongoing covid crisis.
Although Istanbul was only just added to the 2021 calendar to replace the cancelled Canadian GP, there are now fears the Turkish event may not go ahead after the UK government added the country to its covid ’red list’.
In Austria, on the other hand, efforts to ease covid restrictions are now looming. In the coming days, for instance, 3000 spectators will be allowed to attend football games.
"We cannot pretend that the pandemic is over," Austrian vice chancellor Werner Kogler told Neue am Sonntag newspaper.
"But if the number of infections is within acceptable limits and enough people get vaccinated, I predict that in July the audience limit could double to 6000 people.
"It could be the same in Spielberg," he added.
Last year, Formula 1 was facing an uncertain future amid an unprecedented lockdown, until Red Bull stepped up with the first offer to host two spectator-free ’ghost races’ to get the calendar up and running again.
Now, the Austrian vice chancellor is triggering rumours that Formula 1 may once again ask the Red Bull Ring to add a second grand prix to its 2021 program.
"The two races last year were groundbreaking worldwide," said Kogler.
"It began with a one-hour conversation that I had with Helmut Marko on Holy Saturday," he revealed. "This time there will be no special regulation for the spectator area either."