Formula 1 has announced that the Chinese Grand Prix is off the 2023 calendar.
Next year’s calendar was to see a record 24 races but it will now be reduced to 23 races because of China’a strict COVID-19 zero policy.
China are experiencing a rise in COVID-19 cases, which has seen communities go into lockdowns with very harsh measures in place to curb the spread.
The current situation has cast doubt on the certainty of the race in Shanghai and F1 is considering alternative races that will fill the empty slot.
“Formula 1 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,” the statement read on F1 website.
“Formula 1 is assessing alternative options to replace the slot on the 2023 calendar and will provide an update on this in due course.”
The 2023 F1 begins with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 5 and ends with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November.
