The Chinese Grand Prix is scheduled to be formally canceled by Formula 1 because of China’s zero-Covid policy.
Formula 1’s 2023 calendar is set to be reduced to 23 races, with the Chinese Grand Prix reportedly being cancelled again.
The initial 24-race schedule for 2023 included the Shanghai circuit, which hasn’t held a Grand Prix since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. That, however, depended on China relaxing its stringent Covid policy, which requires a period of isolation following a positive test.
According to the BBC, the race has been canceled because to the nation’s zero-Covid policy. The main concern is presumably that F1 employees who get the virus will not be granted exemptions from the quarantine restrictions.
It would be impossible for F1 employees to comply with China’s present regulations, which require anyone with Covid to spend five days in an isolation facility and three days at home.
The Chinese Grand Prix was scheduled to take place as the fourth contest of the year on April 16. It’s anticipated that the cancellation will result in a four-week gap between the Australian Grand Prix on April 2 and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on April 30. However, F1 may decide to find a replacement, as it did multiple times during the Covid-affected 2020 and 2021 seasons.
According to reports, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali is trying to renegotiate date for the race with Baku’s organizers.
The Chinese Grand Prix extended its agreement with Formula One last year; the current agreement runs through 2025.
The race, which was held in 2019 and was won by Lewis Hamilton, marked the 1000th World Championship race since the series’ founding in 1950.
