The Chinese Grand Prix could not appear on the calendar fir the 2022 Formula 1 season, after missing out in the last two years, which could represent a chance for Imola or Paul Ricard to host a Formula 1 race next championship.
As reported by RaceFans, the organisers of the event at Shanghai International Circuit have expressed concerns they will be unable to accommodate a world championship round in April next year due to ongoing restrictions in the country arising from the pandemic. The Covid-19 outbreak began in China at the end of 2019. The country’s round of the world championship was the first to be cancelled that year and it was also dropped from the 2021 schedule, along with several other races, due to the pandemic.
Efforts to find an alternative to China’s usual April date on the 2022 Formula 1 calendar have been unsuccessful. The possibility of delaying the round to July was considered but was considered impractical.
Imola hopes to be back on the calendar next season and was considered as a possible replacement for Paul Ricard, but could now be moved in April to take over the slot vacated by China. The Italian circuit returned to the Formula 1 schedule last year and held the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix again in April.
It was believed to be in competition with Paul Ricard, home of the French Grand Prix, for a race in July next year. However with Imola’s race set to go ahead in April, Paul Ricard will remain on the calendar.
Rather than form a triple-header with the British and Austrian races, France’s round is expected to be held on July 24th, one week before the Hungarian Grand Prix, which is followed by the summer break.
Singapore’s round, which has been absent from the last two schedules due to the pandemic, is also believed to have secured a return to the calendar in its usual September slot. That means in 2022 the sport most likely will not come back to Istanbul Park, which will host today’s event.
Next year’s Formula 1 calendar will be officially confirmed in the following days.
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