A successful 2020 BSB season could still start as late as September 

British Superbike Championship Race Director Stuart Higgs says the series considering a number of different options to ensure the 2020 season can be completed once it is safe to do so.

This Easter weekend would have marked the opening round of the 2020 season at Silverstone but the onset of the coronavirus pandemic means no motorcycle racing in the UK will take place until the end of May.

However, it is widely anticipated the suspension will run for significantly longer, raising the distinct possibility there will be little or no racing action able to take place in 2020.

For now, BSB is working on a number of contingency plans depending on the timescales available to them, with Higgs saying the championship can feasibly still be run over the September and October period

“We are tying to pre-empt every possible scenario with a possible restart from as early as June through to as late as September and play with multiple models,” he said in an interview with Eurosport in a broadcast that will take the place of the planned race day show. 

“Obviously, whatever we put on has to be sustainable for the public and everybody involved in putting on an event. It has to be really small baby steps but I am willing us to get through it. Sport is a massive part of everyone’s life and we’ve got to try and look forward and be as possible as we can.”

Pointing out that BSB has an advantage versus international racing series’ in that it doesn’t have the same issue of international logistics, Higgs nonetheless says it is unlikely any races will be run without spectators present.

“From a domestic championship point of view, we do have some obvious advantages over a world championship in as much as our geography of operation is contained, we’re not having to move four jumbo jets full of cargo material around the world,” he continued. “That together with our position obviously as operating most of the UK circuits and having great relationships with the independent circuits, we are in a constant phase of dialogue.

“Running behind closed doors is an option but I have to say it is clearly and distinctly our least favourite option, it makes no sense to run a series just for a TV audience, the economics just don’t add up and I don’t think it’s what the Championship is about. 

“September is probably the latest we can call it using what is generally not a bad couple of months in the UK, we’ve had some cracking weather days but we’ve also had some poor weather days, but we’ve also nearly lost rounds in July before. 

“I think realistically the last weekend in October is not unfeasible, obviously the earlier we start, the more we can spread out, what I am not keen to do is say we’ve got seven weekends, let’s run seven in a row, that’s completely unrealistic. 

“If we come online in August, that’s a medium-term view in terms of optimism, anything before that would be a bonus and anything after that wouldn’t be impossible.”

Higgs also confirmed that having shown symptoms of the COVID-19 coronavirus recently, he has since made a full recovery.

Superbike Sunday is on Eurosport 2 and Eurosport Player from 12.30pm, which will feature interviews and re-runs of classic races, plus a new vodcast segment.