In The Driver's Seat

No-frills racing the order as Formula One returns in a drastically changed world

Sport joins anti-racism fight but Mercedes and Hamilton still favourites to win again

Banners with images of drivers are seen in the stands ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix. PHOTO: REUTERS
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The 2020 Formula One season finally gets under way in Austria this weekend. But since the last attempt to run the series, in Australia in March, the world has undergone significant change. And the sport's landscape has changed with it.

As nations attempt to get the Covid-19 pandemic under control, the Red Bull Ring will reflect enforced austerity, stripped to its bare essentials. There will be no fans, hospitality or sponsors, little razzmatazz and limited media. And the teams, limited to 80 personnel, will work in separate "bubbles" and be tested regularly for the coronavirus.

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