The race at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg will be the first of the F1 double header, with the second staged the following weekend.
Both races will be held behind closed doors without spectators, it was confirmed in a statement released to CNN.
Austrian Health Minister Rudolf Anshober said the two races had been approved after Formula One organizers had “presented a comprehensive professional security plan” to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
“In addition to strict hygiene measures, the plan also provides routine tests and health checks for the team and all other employees,” he added.
The relatively remote location of the Red Bull Ring and the closest local airport have made it an ideal place for F1 in its current state, while the infection rate and number of deaths of less than 700 in Austria are relatively smaller than other European countries.
Started chaotic
The green light to start the action will be of assistance to the organizers and the F1 team after the start of the 2020 season thrown into chaos with the last minute cancellation of the Australian Grand Prix in March, just hours before training is scheduled to begin.
Melbourne is the first of 10 races that were canceled or postponed, but F1 boss Chase Carey said he believed the 15-18 race season could still be completed.
When it starts, Lewis Hamilton will bid for a seventh world title equivalent to an F1 record but hopes to race in front of his home crowd in the double header of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone after the Austrian race remained in balance.
In a sign of hope, the British government gave a go-head Saturday to restart competitive sports from the earliest Monday.
“It’s up to each individual sport to decide exactly when to continue the competition. They know their best sport. But football, tennis, horse racing, Formula 1, cricket, golf, rugby, snooker, and others are ready to return to (Screen TV soon, “said Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports.
But the British government insisted that all arrivals in the country undergo a two-week quarantine period could have an impact on the plans for the British Grand Prix, unless there were exceptions.
While F1 action has been limited to virtual racing, behind the scenes there has been a major upheaval with Carlos Sainz replacing Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari for 2021 and Daniel Ricciardo leaving Renault for McLaren.
The smaller team is also under huge financial pressure, with Williams announcing earlier this week that they are ready to sell after losing 13 million pounds (15.7 million dollars) last year.
