Singapore Grand Prix called off this year

• Integrity Education, Delhi
• 05, Jun 2021

The Singapore Grand Prix has been called off this year and Formula 1 is assessing its options to replace the race.

F1 and the Singapore authorities agreed it will not be possible to hold the event in the context of immigration restrictions in the city state.

Other races later in 2021 could also fall prey to the ongoing pandemic.

Turkey, China and a second race at Austin in the USA are all under consideration as replacements.

Singapore is one of the countries that has managed the pandemic and kept infections low by strict immigration restrictions and a comprehensive test-and-trace system.

And authorities there have decided their control measures are not compatible with thousands of people coming into the country for a grand prix.

One of the options being considered by F1 as a replacement is a race at Turkey's Istanbul Park.

Turkey had been scheduled as a substitute for the Canadian Grand Prix this month. It too had to be cancelled two weeks after it was put on the calendar when a rise in coronavirus cases in the country led to it being put on the UK's red list of restricted countries.

A revival of the Chinese Grand Prix, which was postponed from its early-season date this year, is also possible.

And F1 has been offered the option by the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas to hold two races.

If that happens, the first race would likely be between 15th to 17th   October, the weekend before the US Grand Prix, which is on 22-24 October.

Although F1 is still targeting a full 23-race calendar, the Japanese, Brazilian, Mexican and Australian Grands Prix are all in doubt for different reasons.

Sources : News On Air