Chinese Grand Prix AXED over coronavirus outbreak after warning disease ‘could infect 60 per cent of global population’
F1 bosses have postponed the Chinese GP due to the coronavirus.
The race had been scheduled for April 19th in Shanghai but a decision has been made to try and push it back until later in the year once the virus is contained.
However, the record-breaking 22-race calendar in 2020 means that finding a time to run it could be difficult.
A statement from F1 and the sport's governing body, the FIA, said: "In view of the continued spread of novel coronavirus and after ongoing discussions with the Federation of Automobile and Motorcycle Sports of People's Republic of China (CAMF) and Shanghai Administration of Sports, the Chinese Grand Prix Promoter, Juss Sports Group, has officially requested that the 2020 FIA Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix be postponed.
"The FIA, together with the Formula 1, have have jointly decided to accept this official request from the promoter and postpone the 2020 FIA Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix, originally scheduled for 19 April.
"As a result of continued health concerns and with the World Health Organisation declaring the coronavirus as a global health emergency, the FIA and Formula 1 have taken these measures in order to ensure the health and safety of the travelling staff, championship participants and fans, which remains of primary concern.
We will leave open the opportunity to see if the race can run later in the year
Ross Brawn, F1's managing director
"The FIA and Formula 1 continue to work closely with the teams, race promoter, CAMF and the local authorities to monitor the situation as it develops. All parties will take the appropriate amount of time to study the viability of potential alternative dates for the Grand Prix later in the year should the situation improve.
"The Chinese Grand Prix has long been an important part of the F1 calendar with many passionate fans. The FIA F1 community looks forward to racing in China as soon as possible and wishes everyone in the country the best during this difficult time."
The Chinese GP is the latest sporting event to be cancelled following Formula E, World Indoor Athletics Championships, Olympics qualifiers for boxing and women's basketball, as well as the suspension of football's Chinese Super League.
Ross Brawn, F1's managing director, had previously said he would look to reschedule the race, admitting: "There is a probability that it doesn't happen in April.
"We will leave open the opportunity to see if the race can run later in the year."
Even on Monday, Mercedes chief Toto Wolff was pressing ahead with plans for the trip to Shanghai and was due to collect a Chinese visa to travel.
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Shanghai is 500 miles from Wuhan where the outbreak began last month.
The number of deaths from the virus rose to 1,000 on Tuesday, with Professor Gabriel Leung, chair of public health medicine in Hong Kong, warning that it could infect 60 per cent of the world's population.
Vietnam host Hanoi is only 100 miles from the Chinese border and now there will be question marks over whether that inaugural race on April 5 goes ahead.
Deadline in China
CORONAVIRUS may be killing up to one in five people at the centre of the outbreak who catch it, a study suggests.
The “case fatality ratio” (CFR) for people in Hubei Province is 18 per cent.
Outside China it is between 1.2 and 5.6 per cent, researchers from Imperial College London found.
Variations in diagnosis and care across countries are likely to account for the different outcomes. The figures could also change as health chiefs collect better data on cases, deaths and recovery.
Professor Neil Ferguson said the estimates did not “reflect underlying differences in disease severity between countries.
“All CFR estimates should be viewed cautiously as the sensitivity of surveillance of both deaths and cases in mainland China is unclear,” he said.
There are now more than 40,500 confirmed cases of the virus worldwide, with over 900 deaths.
