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Due to ongoing COVID restrictions, Formula One canceled the 2023 Chinese Grand Prix. Here are some options.
Back in September, Formula One announced their schedule for the 2023 season, set to be their most ambitious in history. 24 races were placed on the calendar including three in the United States, the most ever in a single F1 season.
But if F1 wants to keep that number of races, they will need to make an adjustment.
It was announced on Friday that because of ongoing COVID restrictions in China, that the 2023 Chinese Grand Prix, scheduled for April, will not go forward. In a brief statement on their website, F1 confirmed that “…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.”
The event has not been held since 2019.
If F1 wants to maintain a 24-race schedule, here are some options:
A double-dip at Australia or Azerbaijan
Back in 2020, when COVID first emerged as a global threat to the world, F1 was one of the first sporting leagues to feel the impact. The 2020 Australian Grand Prix, set to kick off the season, was canceled just days before the race. Following a team member of McLaren testing positive, and the team pulling out of the event, F1 decided canceled the Grand Prix.
The season did not begin until July, months after it was originally scheduled to begin, as the world shut down shut down due to the pandemic. In an effort to incorporate as many races as possible on the calendar, and working around some countries where events could not take place, F1 added a few double-dips to the schedule. For example, the season began with the Austrian Grand Prix at Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria. The following week F1 unveiled the Styrian Grand Prix, run again at Red Bull Ring.
At the end of July, following the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in England, the circuit returned to the track seven days later, for the first 70th Anniversary Grand Prix.
Then at the end of the schedule F1 held two events in Bahrain. First was the Bahrain Grand Prix, followed by the Sakhir Grand Prix the following weekend. These events were slightly different, as the first race was run on the Grand Prix track, while the second was run on the shorter, outer circuit of the track.
F1 could choose to do something similar this upcoming year. The schedule kicks off with the Bahrain Grand Prix, set for the weekend of March 5, and is followed by the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix the weekend of March 19th. Then there is the Australian Grand Prix, scheduled for April 2.
The Chinese Grand Prix was to take place on April 16, followed by the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on April 30th. With that gap, the circuit could double-dip at either Melbourne or Baku, as they have done in the past.
Adding a new stop
F1 could decide to add in a circuit that is not currently on the schedule for the 2023 season, getting them back to 24 events.
Back in 2020, F1 added stops to the schedule in an effort to get close to a traditional season. For example, they added additional events in Italy to the schedule. First was the Tuscan Ferrari 1000 Grand Prix held at Mugello in Tuscany. While that course had never held an F1 Grand Prix, teams had tested at the track before, including Ferrari. Then later in the season F1 held the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, in Imola. That Grand Prix was held again in 2021, to replace the Chinese Grand Prix when it was canceled that year. Imola is currently on the calendar for this season, while Mugello is not.
2020 also saw the addition of the Turkish Grand Prix, an event that had not been held since 2011, as well as the Eifel Grand Prix at the Nürburgring in Nürburg, Germany. Nürburgring had not seen an F1 race since 2013.
There was also the Portuguese Grand Prix, held after the event in Nürburg.
This year, there are similar options, and given the amount of time between the Australian Grand Prix and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, travel should not be a problem. Both the Portuguese Grand Prix, as well as the Turkish Grand Prix, have been mentioned as options. Weather could be a factor, as the Turkish Grand Prix has never been held before May, and the area and track could be cooler than teams would like.
In addition, there is not currently an event scheduled for France. For the past few seasons the French Grand Prix took place at Paul Ricard, but it was not named as one of the host circuits for the 2023 season.
Given that the majority of teams are based in Europe, one of the European options (Italy, Portugal or France) seems to be a wise bet. In 2022 F1 held an April race at Imola, so perhaps another event in Italy would be the play.
A spring break
There is also another option for F1.
An early spring break.
Given the fact that this season was set to be the longest in history, with 24 events, teams might be just fine with seeing that number dropped by one. The F1 season would still see its traditional summer break, in the latter half of June, as well.
However, with the growth of the sport, and the excitement that is already starting to build in advance of next season, F1 might try and forge ahead with a 24-race schedule.
