First calendar adjustment for 2023! The Chinese Grand Prix will be cancelled again

Formula 1 was due to return to the Shanghai International Circuit for the first time since 2019, but the planned return will have to be postponed due to coronavirus measures still in place in China.

Although Stefano Domenicali hasn’t officially scratched the China VC from the calendar, its cancellation is said to be inevitable. F1 reportedly does not want to risk any of the teams’ staff having to be quarantined.

Indeed, if Covid-19 disease is found, they would have to spend five days in an isolation centre and then undergo three days of isolation at home.

Formula One has been negotiating with Chinese authorities to grant a special exemption for its employees.

However, it was not granted one. The Chinese Grand Prix will have two more attempts to return to F1. Its contract does not expire until 2025.

There is no replacement race on the schedule this year, so cancelling the fourth race of the season would leave a four-week gap in the calendar. F1 is trying to resolve this by postponing the Azerbaijan VC, but so far has been unsuccessful.

He is also negotiating with the local authorities to extend his contract, which expires next year. The contract should be extended for 10 years.

The packed Formula 1 schedule will be reduced from 24 races to 23. This is still a record, with the 2021 and 2022 seasons having the most races so far.

But already the teams and the huge number of races are complaining. So for them, the cancellation of one race is definitely not a problem.

Source: BBC