Suzuka cancellation: Will F1 go to Indianapolis or Qatar?
F1 News
- GPblog.com
What many people already feared has indeed come true: the Japanese Grand Prix at the classic Suzuka circuit has been cancelled for the second time in a row. And so there is work to do for the F1 management to fill up the calendar as good as possible.
COVID and quarantines
During the Olympic Games, which were recently held in Tokyo, the Japanese government was already severely criticized for allowing the sporting event to go ahead because of the huge corona problem in the country. Since the Olympic Games, these problems have only gotten worse, which means that the Formula 1 race will be the child of the bill.
The Grand Prix in Japan on October 10 would be the end of a triple header with Russia and Turkey. That last country could also become a problem for F1, as it is on the British government's red list. That would mean that seven of the ten teams would have to spend 10 days in quarantine after the race.
Possible options
Auto, Motor und Sport reports that several possibilities are being considered to compensate for the loss of Suzuka. One possibility would be to swap the dates of the races in Russia and Turkey, in order to bridge the quarantine period in Turkey. A second race in Texas, at COTA, would also be an option, although the COVID situation in Texas is not great either. Indianapolis would also still be an option. According to the German news media, Qatar could also fill the gap in the calendar.
Formula 1 said, "we are working on a revised racing calendar and will announce details in the coming weeks. Formula 1 has proven in 2020 and this year that it can adapt and find solutions to ongoing uncertainties."