Jun.19 (GMM) Crash repairs and engine changes will take significantly longer at grands prix in 2020, Racing Point technical boss Andy Green has warned.

He said strict social distancing measures in the garages at the forthcoming ‘ghost races’ means work on the cars will “automatically take longer”.

“We have a limited number of people who are allowed to work together on the car, so we need to find other ways to get our old efficiency back,” Green told Auto Motor und Sport.

“I suspect that it will take about twice as long to replace an engine in the garage,” he said, noting that an engine change used to take 2-3 hours.

Ensuring the cars are robust and reliable will therefore be crucial in 2020, adding: “Our drivers should be aware that an accident will mean more time in the garage than before.”