Fomula1 chiefs preparing for July return and claim they can put on between ’15 and 18 races’ despite coronavirus lockdown.

FORMULA ONE chiefs are lining up on the grid waiting for the green lights.

World champ Lewis Hamilton could be back on track by July – but without such crowd support

But F1 must be mad to think their 200mph approach will work — with their idea for behind-closed-doors races still stuck in the pits.

F1’s bold statement came off the back of confirmation that the French GP was being scrapped.

And British GP chiefs confirmed that no spectators would be allowed in, providing they can host their race in the first place.

To get an F1 race underway, there needs to be at least 1,500 people at a track and most near the pits. For that reason it seems totally unrealistic.

The announcement was a timely shot in the arm on a day of bad news; the cynics would suggest it would stop a further slide on the sport’s share price.

After the double GP blow, a statement from Carey, who runs F1 for the sport’s owner, Liberty Media, said: “We are now increasingly confident with the progress of our plans to begin our season this summer.

“We’re targeting a start to racing in Europe through July, August and start of September, with the first race taking place in Austria on early of July.