The British Grand Prix will de🌠finitely be a behind closed doors Formula 1 race if the event&🐠nbsp;can go ahead this year, Silverstone has confirmed.

With F1 currently 🎐assessing how to get the 2020 season underway amid the hiatus caused by the ongoing coronavirus crisis, Silverstone had  made it clear it was willing to be flexible in order to enable grand prix racing to take place this year.

The opening nine races of the season have already been postponed or cancelled altogether and F1’s latest plan included kicking off the campaign with a behind closed doors race at 🗹Austria on July 5 before Silverstone staged multiple races also༒ without spectators.

Silverstone had given itself u🦂ntil the end of this month to make a final decision on the fate of this year’s British Grand Prix, which is due to be held on July 19.

It has now been made clear that any race to be held at Silverstone will be done so with🔥out spectators, if the British Grand Prix can go a🐬head at all.

The Northamptonshire circuit’s managing director Stuart Pringle said in a statement that he was “extremeไly disappointed to tell you that we are unable to 🌠stage this year’s British Grand Prix in front of the fans at Silverstone.”

“We have left this difficult decision for as long as possible, but it is abundantly clear given the current conditions in the country and the gove🍃rnment requirements in place now and for the foreseeable future, that a grand prix under normal conditions is just not going to be pos𝓰sible," the statement continued. 

“Our obligation to protect the health and safety of everyone involved in preparing and delivering the event, our volunteer marshals and race makers, and of course, you, the amazing fans, meꦦans that this is the best, safest and only decision we could make.

“We have 🐟consistently said that should we find ouꦡrselves in this position we will support Formula 1 as they seek to find alternative ways to enable F1 racing to take place this year.

“Following🎉 this weekend’s news from the Departmen💜t for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport we are now working with them on the viability of an event behind closed doors.

“Should this be possible, it will be of some smౠall comfort for you to know that the 2020 Formula 1 Pirelli British Grand Prix will be available to watch live on Sky and Channel 4.”

Pringle confirmed that ticket holders will b♔e offered full refunds or a transfer booking for the 2021 British Gran💫d Prix. 

“Customerꦯs who have purchased a ticket will be given the option of either transferring their booking directly to 2021 or of taking a full refun🌟d,” Pringle said.

🧔“All customers will be contacted in the next two weeks with full details, so we do ask you to please be pa🌱tient with us as we work through all our bookings.”