Even without a crowd, F1 is happy to be racing again

Austrian Grand Prix - Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Styria, Austria - July 5, 2020 Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel and the rest of the drivers kneel on the grid wearing an anti-racism T-shirt before the race Mark Thompson/Pool via REUTERS

McLaren's Lando Norris felt the absence of cheering fans more than most as the Briton celebrated his first Formula One podium finish in front of empty grandstands at Austria's Red Bull Ring on Sunday.

The COVID-19 pandemic had forced the sport to go behind closed doors for the first time to get the much-delayed season started.

Austrian Grand Prix - Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Styria, Austria - July 5, 2020 Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas celebrates with champagne on the podium after winning the race, as F1 resumes following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Mark Thompson/Pool via REUTERS

"I think we can all be happy we’re here racing and procedures that are put in place are pretty bulletproof... but it’s a bit different for me," said the 20-year-old.

"These guys are used to being on the podium quite a bit (but) for me it’s my first time," added Norris, third behind Mercedes' race winner Valtteri Bottas and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

"And I think something that makes it so special is always having the crowds there, celebrating there with you, whether they are always your fans or not. It just makes up the atmosphere so much and it adds a lot of excitement."

Austrian Grand Prix - Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Styria, Austria - July 5, 2020 McLaren's Lando Norris celebrates with champagne on the podium after finishing third, as F1 resumes following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Mark Thompson/Pool via REUTERS

The stands at Red Bull's home circuit have been filled in recent years with thousands of orange-shirted Dutch fans making the trip to cheer on their idol Max Verstappen, winner in 2018 and 2019.

The nearby fields, now with cows grazing in them, are normally campsites for race fans, reverberating with music and the smoke of barbecues.

"I know there are many loyal fans to me watching at home and I know the most important people to me, my family, they’re watching, they’re supporting and they’re living in the moment with me," said Bottas.

Austrian Grand Prix - Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Styria, Austria - July 5, 2020 Ferrari's Charles Leclerc celebrates with the trophy on the podium after finishing second, as F1 resumes following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Mark Thompson/Pool via REUTERS

"No doubt we’re lacking a bit of atmosphere -- but it is what it is. Better to be racing like this than not racing at all."

Leclerc, who grew up watching Ferraris race around his native Monaco, said it had been a strange weekend -- and one that is set to continue with Formula One's European races all likely to be without spectators.

"We are lacking the passion of the fans, which is why I love the sport so much, to see the passion of people that are watching you," he said.

Austrian Grand Prix - Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Styria, Austria - July 5, 2020 Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas, McLaren's Lando Norris and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc celebrate with champagne on the podium after the race, as F1 resumes following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger/Pool

"I actually look in the grandstands during the race. Obviously not today, because there was not much to look at, but yeah, I miss this.

"The podium, normally there’s cheers, people yelling, this time it was not that way, but it’s like this for now and it’s the best we can do."

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin; Editing by Ken Ferris)

Austrian Grand Prix - Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Styria, Austria - July 5, 2020 Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas after winning the race alongside runner up Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and third placed McLaren's Lando Norris pose with an anti-racism t-shirt, as F1 resumes following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Mark Thompson/Pool via REUTERS