The Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prixwhich was to be held on April 16, 2023 in Shanghai, has been canceled due to “current difficulties presented by the COVID-19 situation”announced the world championship in a statement on Friday.
The Formula 1 has not returned to China since 2019where the restrictions are drastic to fight the pandemic. Several “alternative options” are being studied by F1 to replace the event and maintain a schedule of 24 races, which would be a record.
Team bosses ask to ‘stop expansion’ of Formula 1
If F1 doesn’t replace the event, a 23-race season, the first being in Bahrain on March 5, would already be a record, with the current 22 Grands Prix standing.
One week after an article in the BBC that announced this cancellation, Formula 1, which denied it at the time, now confirms it officially, after a new “dialogue with the promoter and with the competent authorities”.
This decision comes after a wave of cholera demonstrations in China against health restrictions and for more freedoms, last weekend. And that despite signs this week of possible relief by the authorities from their strict “zero covid” policy.
According to BBCthe F1 staff would not have been exempt from quarantine requirements in case of COVID-19 infectionmaking this test in the country too risky an event for teams on a very tight schedule.
The absence of China, for the fourth consecutive season since the start of the pandemicleaves an empty gap between the Australian Grand Prix on April 2 and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on April 30.
To seek to keep all 24 runs, Formula 1 can count on a reserve of suitors, as he explained to the AFP at the end of October the general director of Formula 1, Stefano Domenicali, during the Mexican Grand Prix: “There are many other countries that would like to host a Grand Prix. Tomorrow morning, we could sign with seven or eight more countries.” (D)
Source: Eluniverso
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