(Paris) The Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix, canceled in December due to restrictions linked to COVID-19, will not be replaced, the promoter of the F1 world championship announced on Tuesday.
The calendar of the premier category of motorsport therefore goes back to 23 races this season – against 24 expected, which is still a record.
“The other race dates remain the same,” said F1 promoter Formula One in a brief statement, less than two months from the inaugural GP on March 5 in Bahrain.
The Grand Prix, which was due to take place on April 16 in Shanghai, had been canceled due to the “current difficulties presented by the COVID-19 situation” in the country, where restrictions were still drastic until the end of the year. year to fight the pandemic.
“Alternative options” were being studied by F1 to replace the event and maintain a calendar of 24 races.
At the same time, according to the specialized press, China had expressed its desire to return to the 2023 calendar, after the sudden and radical relaxation of health restrictions announced in December.
The absence of China, for the fourth consecutive season since the start of the pandemic, leaves a gap between the Australian Grand Prix on April 2 and that in Azerbaijan on April 30.