24 races yes or 24 races no? Formula 1 continues to question the possibility of putting the Chinese Grand Prix back on the 2023 calendar, a race which should have been held between 14 and 16 April at the Shanghai circuit.
Last December, the management of the category officially announced the cancellation of the China event due to the resurgence of the pandemic caused by Covid-19. The restrictions imposed by the local authorities meant thar Formula 1 staff would have had to quarantine themselves and F1, which feared an event behind closed doors as well as the logistical-health difficulties for the staff who travelled , had decided to cancel the appointment.
In an initial phase, a route was thought of that would replace Shanghai. Malaysia seemed the most concrete option from a geographical point of view, Portimao the comfortable solution to fit into the other European rounds. Eventually Liberty Media Corporate and the International Federation agreed to keep the spot open. Hence the publication of what should have been the final 23-race calendar. Which was not so final according to the latest developments.
The organizers of the Chinese Grand Prix, after years of postponement, have not given up on the 2023 event. And they return with the task of recovering their place on the calendar.
On Wednesday, January 4, the staff who manage the track, the local political authorities and some important representatives of Formula One sat down at a negotiating table, directly in Shanghai, to discuss the possibility of the race taking place in 2023.
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The meeting was chaired by none other than the country’s Communist Party secretary, Chen Jining, who wants the Asian country to return to the F1 calendar this year. As can be seen, China is trying everything possible and the top figures in the world series do not remain indifferent.
The parties appear to have gotten closer with reinstatement looking ever possible. On Sunday 8 January, China will end the mandatory quarantine for visitors. Fundamental and potentially preparatory act for the return of F1. However, it will also be necessary to take into account the needs of the teams who fear that team personnel may be infected. Which, consequently, would lead to quarantines in the very demanding month of April. If the nation is in the process of reopening, in fact, the Covid cases tend to be far from decreasing.
In 2019 the 1000th grand prix in the history of Formula 1 was held at the Shanghaicircuit (a race won by Lewis Hamilton, ed). It has not been held since and the FIA will need to carry out a routine inspection to ensure that the facility, as a whole, continues to meet all the requirements necessary to maintain Grade 1 which is the basis for being able to host a Formula One event.
During the days of the pandemic, the FIA staff were unable to travel to the circuit for the inspection which must be carried out within three months ahead of the start of the event. This means that there is not a lot of time, but a derogation is possible. After the lockdown of the past few weeks, China is making a strong comeback also because it would like to re-discuss its contract with Liberty Media to obtain an extension. The latter, for its part, is pressing for the calendar to return to 24 rounds as initially scheduled, in a period of significant growth for the Formula 1 brand. There seems to be all conditions for the matter to be resolved positively.
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