F1 cancels 2023 Chinese Grand Prix due to ‘ongoing difficulties’ around COVID-19

F1
was
due
to
return
to
the
Shanghai
International
Circuit
in
2023,
having
last
raced
there
in
2019.

The
2020
race,
like
most
originally
scheduled
for
that
season,
was
cancelled
because
of
the
coronavirus
pandemic
and
the
2021
race
fell
the
same
way.
F1
could
not
honour
its
contract
to
race
in
China
last
season
because
of
travel
restrictions
related
to
COVID-19.

There
will
now
be
no
race
in
the
country
for
the
fourth
successive
campaign
after
F1
confirmed
the
2023
grand
prix
scheduled
for
April
had
been
cancelled.

“Formula
1
can
confirm,
following
dialogue
with
the
promoter
and
relevant
authorities,
that
the
2023
Chinese
Grand
Prix
will
not
take
place
due
to
the
ongoing
difficulties
presented
by
the
COVID-19
situation,”
a
short
statement
read.

“Formula
1
is
assessing
alternative
options
to
replace
the
slot
on
the
2023
calendar
and
will
provide
an
update
on
this
in
due
course.”

China
continues
to
operate
a
‘zero-COVID’ policy,
with
strict
local
lockdowns
enforced
if
even
one
person
tests
positive
for
the
virus.

Those
who
test
positive
are
taken
to
a
designated
COVID
hospital
for
centralised
care
and
remain
there
until
they
have
tested
negative
for
COVID-19
multiple
times,
a
process
that
can
take
numerous
weeks.

Reports
prior
to
F1
confirming
the
cancellation
indicated
it
was
not
prepared
to
ask
teams
to
travel
to
the
country
amid
the
risk
its
drivers
and
staff
could
be
quarantined
for
weeks
if
they
caught
the
virus.

F1
staff
would
reportedly
not
be
given
exemptions
if
they
contracted
COVID-19.

If
it
does
not
replace
the
grand
prix
with
an
alternative
in
another
country,
F1
will
stage
a
23-race
calendar
in
2023
that
would
feature
a
four-week
gap
between
the
Australian
Grand
Prix
on
April
2
and
the
Azerbaijan
Grand
Prix
on
April
30
because
of
the
cancellation.

The
new
season
is
due
to
start
on
March
5
with
the
Bahrain
Grand
Prix.