Picture Credit: Formula 1
The Chinese Grand Prix will be cancelled for a fourth year in a row after Formula One confirmed its exclusion from the 2023 Calendar. F1 released a statement addressing the omission of the Chinese Grand Prix which takes place in Shanghai.
Formula One stated the difficulties caused by the Covid-19 situation as the key reason for removing Chinese GP from the 2023 season. The 2023 race in Shanghai was scheduled for April 16 as the fourth stop on a record 24-round calendar, but will not take place now. Regarding a possible replacement track, F1 stated that an update will be made in the near future.
"Formula One can confirm, following dialogue with the promoter and relevant authorities, that the 2023 Chinese Grand Prix will not take place due to the ongoing difficulties presented by the Covid-19 situation," Formula One said in a statement. "Formula One is assessing alternative options to replace the slot on the 2023 calendar and will provide an update on this in due course."
Earlier this season, F1 journalist Ted Kravitz had made comment about the possible omission of the Chinese GP based on his conversation with Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu. Kravitz stated that F1 will be sticking to its zero covid policy which doesn’t allow for a possible race in Shanghai.
Kravitz said, “Zhou Guanyu is saying it's unlikely now that we’re going to have the Chinese GP [in 2023] after the big party conference in China. They’re going to stay with the zero covid policy. So that prevents the Chinese GP from happening – I can only imagine how disappointed Zhou Guanyu is not be having a home GP, though that seems to be what’s happening for next year’s calendar.”
Reports also say that the possible logical replacement would be the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul. The race week at the Istanbul Park Circuit was previously dropped due to travel restrictions and didn't appear on this year's calendar.