Chinese GP promoter seeking 2021 F1 race postponement
Baku, January 11, AZERTAC
The Chinese Grand Prix is set to become the second Formula 1 race to be postponed in 2021 as the promoter seeks a date change until later in the year, according to Motorsport.
Last year’s race in Shanghai was the first to be scrapped following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a further 12 races eventually being cancelled through the 2020 season.
F1 unveiled a more usual calendar for 2021 in November, listing 23 races, but is already set to postpone the planned season-opener in Australia due to the ongoing pandemic and global restrictions in place. Doubts had begun to emerge over the viability of the planned race in China on 11 April, but the promoter of the race has now confirmed it is seeking a postponement until later in the year.
“We have been in contact [with F1] via conference call almost every week,” Yibin Yang, the general manager of race promoter Juss Event, told local media including Motorsport.com on Saturday. “Despite the calendar being in place as usual, I think it’s hugely uncertain the F1 race would take place in the first half of the year, in April.
“We aim to swap it to the second half of the year, and we have formally submitted the request that we hope to move it to the second half of the year.”
The postponement of the race would open up a second free slot in April, along with the 25 April date originally intended for the now-abandoned Vietnam race. It is understood that both Imola and Portimao - host circuits on the revised 2020 schedule - are set to fill these gaps, having both been in contention to replace Vietnam and begin the European season.
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