Formula 1’s hopes of staging the Dutch Grand Prix during the European summertime have suffered another setback after Holland ✃extended a ban on public events until September🀅 1.

Zandvoort’s return to the F1 calendar for the first time since 1985 was originally scheduled for May 3 but the race was postponed♎ because of t෴he ongoing coronavirus crisis.

Dutch GP organisers and F1 had hoped to rearrange the event for a slot in the summer months after teams agreed to bring forward the mandatory shutdown period 🦩toꦛ the spring to free up the traditional August break to potentially hold affected rounds.

But after rules aimed at helping to ease the spread of COVID-19 in the Netherlands were increased 🎃by the country♎’s prime minister Mark Rutte on Tuesday, the Dutch Grand Prix’s return was thrown into further doubt.

Under the extended measures, all major public events, including professional sports and music feꦐstivals, are p💧rohibited until September 1.

"It's bett🦹er to be cautಌious now than to have regrets later," Rutte said during a press conference. 

"I would love to say we could go a lot further. But t♌hat is very scary and dangerous. We see a lit🦩tle improvement in the data, but just imagine that we would relax some measures, causing the virus to peak again.

"That's something we all absolutely don't want."

The number of confirmꦜed coronavirus cases in the Netherlands now stands at 34,134 🌄as of Tuesday, with 3,916 deaths. 

With the opening nine races of the 2020 ♓F1 season already postponed or cancelled alt💙ogether, championship officials are scrambling to get a campaign off the ground as soon as it is safe to do so.

There are growing concerns over the financiaꦕl strain placed on the 10 teams and the sport in general due to the lack of racing and the subsequent hit in revenue.

F1 hopes to get the 2020 season underway with a behind closed doors race in Austria in early July, followed by multiple races at Silverstone also staged without spectators. It is likely that꧟ all European rounds could take place with no fans in attendance.

The French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard is currently scheduled as the first unaffected race on June 28, but it is expected to be ꦅcalled off after the count🌃ry extending its ban on mass public gatherings until mid-July.