17/01/2023
NEWS STORY
F1 confirms that Chinese Grand Prix will not be replaced and that the 2023 calendar will comprise 23 races.
Despite speculation that Portugal or Turkey might replace the cancelled Shanghai race, F1 this morning issued a brief statement confirming that the 2023 schedule will remain at 23 events.
"Formula One can confirm the 2023 season will consist of 23 races," it read, "All existing race dates on the calendar remain unchanged."
The Chinese race was cancelled in December due to the country's ongoing COVID policy. The harsh zero-COVID policy was subsequently scrapped, but in recent weeks a sharp rise in cases has been reported.
Political unrest in the face of the zero-COVID policy is thought to be another reason F1 opted to cancel the event which was last held in 2019.
Cancellation of the event means a four-week gap between the Australian and Azerbaijan events, which if nothing else will give the teams a breather before the next phase of the calendar sees five races in six weeks, including a triple-header involving Imola, Barcelona and Monaco.