China ’fixed’ on extended 2020 calendar - Marko

China has "fixed" itself a place on the 2020 corona crisis race calendar, according to Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko.

Marko, a top Red Bull official who is close to Dietrich Mateschitz, was instrumental in getting the 2020 season up and running next week in Austria.

Now, F1 is planning the second part of the 2020 race calendar.

"I assume that all the races in Europe will take place, but there will certainly be changes overseas," Marko told Steirische Wirtschaft newspaper.

"Remarkably enough, the only race outside of Europe that is currently fixed is China."

He said the uncertainty about how long the calendar will ultimately be means that title chargers like Max Verstappen will have to be aggressive.

"It’s a bizarre situation, but that’s why you have to lead from the start and be aggressive," said the Austrian. "At the same time you can’t afford to retire if there are eventually only eight races."

Marko said he is expecting "the highest ratings ever" to result from the first spectator-less races at Red Bull’s circuit in Spielberg.

"I see Lewis Hamilton as the favourite who is out for the seventh title, but we want the first championship for Verstappen, which creates more pressure," he added.