Formula 1 FINALLY Kicks Off 2020 Racing!

Formula 1 Finally Returns For 2020!

Coming up this Sunday, July 5th, the Formula 1 racers return to actual racing at the Austrian Grand Prix, starting just after 9AM US Eastern Time on ESPN. If that isn't exciting enough, they'll have another race on the same track, and then a week later, a hat-trick of races with the Hungarian Grand Prix completing the three Sundays in a row kick-off to the season. 

Ready To See Some Cars On Track, Like This Red Bull!

The F1 season almost started on time in March when all the teams were in Australia and getting ready for the first practice of the first race weekend, when a crew member from one of the teams tested positive for the Covid-19 virus and the race was cancelled. Since that time, we've been waiting to see how the conditions around the world evolved, and right now it looks like F1 is going to compete without fans for an opening series of eight races in Europe. After that, just maybe they'll complete some more races in Asia and the Americas, and just maybe with spectators. 

This weekend the F1 season will start, with a race in Austria at the Red Bull Ring on Sunday. Like most Formula 1 weekends, it is a three-day schedule with two practice sessions on Friday, another practice Saturday morning, qualifying on Saturday afternoon, and the race (finally) on Sunday afternoon. Since there is a little time difference from New York to Austria, we'll be watching the race at 9AM Sunday morning here. 

Reminder: The Word "FAN" Is For "FANATIC"
(Race Car Hats Anyone?)

TV coverage will be on ESPN and Univision, as well as the pay channel of F1TV if you want even more statistics, and your choice of camera angles from any of the 20 cars at any time. 

Like other sports right now, there won't be any fans in the stands, so pretty much just the teams and a small number of press allowed, in addition to all the support staff that makes a race go. The F1 folks will do it all again a week later with a 2nd race on the Red Bull Ring, so it should be interesting to see how things play out with the same cars and drivers doing the same race a week apart. The track in Austria is one of my favorites on the Codemasters official F1 computer game, with a fairly short clockwise loop and some good high-speed corners (especially with the computer set on "easy.")

Alfa Romeo F1 Car

I'll be cheering on a few teams and specific drivers, and with 10 teams and 20 drivers, there's plenty of storylines to follow, your choice of heroes and bad guys to cheer for or boo, and with the awesome scenery in Austria, this would be a great race to experience live someday too.  My choices are the Italian Ferrari team and the US Haas F1 team, so we'll see how they kick off the unique 2020 season this SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!