Originally scheduled for April 17-19, the 2020 Chinese Grand Prix has been postponed as a result of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
There was increasing speculation as to whether the event would go ahead, as the Shanghai Sports General Association had placed an indefinite suspension on sport in the city due to the pandemic. Multiple sporting events throughout the nation had been cancelled, including the Sanya Formula E race initially scheduled for March.
The event promoter, Juss Sports Group, officially requested for the postponement of the event after discussions with the aforementioned Shanghai Sports General Association, as well as the Federation of Automobile and Motorcycle Sports of People’s Republic of China (CAMF).
The request to postpone the event was accepted in order to ensure the health and well-being of the travelling staff, championship participants, and fans.
Formula 1 and the FIA will be looking into potential alternative dates for the Grand Prix later in the year, depending on whether the situation surrounding the virus outbreak improves. Although the congested nature of the calendar could make the allocation of an alternative date tricky.
“The Chinese Grand Prix has always been a very important part of the F1 calendar and the fans are always incredible,” Formula 1 said in a statement. “We all look forward to racing in China as soon as possible and wish everyone in the country the best during this difficult time.”
The event postponement leaves a four-week gap in the schedule between the Vietnam Grand Prix on April 5, and the Dutch Grand Prix on May 3. It is unlikely that a replacement Grand Prix will be found on such short notice.