F1 celebrates the power of athlete activism with return to the track
Ahead of the new season kicking off, the sport’s marketing boss Ellie Norman discusses racing, racism and responsibility.
Formula 1 may be returning this weekend, but the race at Austria’s Red Bull Ring is set to look a little different from normal.
The grand prix will take place behind closed doors, with no glitzy events or celebrity-packed paddock, and will feature a socially-distanced starting grid and winner’s podium. How long the season will actually run is still very much to be confirmed, with eight races currently on the calendar and a further 10 planned for later in the year.
Back in early March, F1’s marketing director of communications Ellie Norman was gearing up for another long campaign, sitting on site in Melbourne a few days before the first grand prix of 2020.
With the Covid-19 crisis worsening by the hour, the decision was made to cancel that weekend’s race. It was a huge decision given the logistical headaches of transporting a grand prix from one continent to another, even in the best of times.