Formula One got back on track in changed circumstances at the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix on Friday. Mercedes and six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton picked up right where they had left off last year.
Hamilton was wearing a ‘Black Lives Matter’ helmet in a black Mercedes. The Mercedes had ‘End Racism’ written on it. Hamilton set a best time of one minute 04.304 after also going fastest in opening practice with a time of 1:04:816.
Sunday’s race became the opener after the pandemic forced the cancellation of the Australian opener. The Australian opener was scheduled on March 15. Friday was the first time that all the drivers had been on track together. The last time was the pre-season testing in Barcelona last February.
“It’s good to hear the engines and see cars again and almost get back to some phase of normality,” said Red Bull boss Christian Horner. “We all look like we’re in some kind of hospital programme, with all the face masks and the PPE… but other than that, working practices are very much as normal.”
The race is being run under strict health and safety conditions. Teams are kept isolated from one another. Drivers wear face masks when talking to the media by video link. Moreover, the race will be run completely without spectators.
This is the first time that an F1 match would not have any spectators.