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Canadian Grand Prix cancelled, replaced by Turkey
This year’s Canadian Grand Prix has been officially cancelled, with Turkey taking its place on the calendar in June.
The race in Montreal was scheduled to take place on June 13, and had already been confirmed as being a behind-closed-doors event if it were to go ahead. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing and Canada requiring incoming international travelers to quarantine on arrival, Formula 1 had requested an exemption as the race is back-to-back with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
With the Canadian authorities having not granted that exemption, the sport cannot get to Montreal early enough to complete the required quarantine and therefore the race has been cancelled.
There is still positive news where Canada is concerned, however, with the race signing a two-year contract extension that will keep it stay on the calendar until 2031. That effectively covers the two cancelled events from the past two years.
Turkey was used on last year’s revised calendar (pictured above) and Istanbul Park will now take Canada’s place, forming a convenient back-to-back with Baku as the two venues are just a three-hour flight apart.
“While it is disappointing we cannot be in Canada this season we are excited to confirm that Turkey will host a Grand Prix in 2021 after an amazing race last season,” F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said. “I know all our fans are excited by the dramatic start to the season and Turkey is a great circuit that delivers great battles on the track.
“I want to thank the promoter and authorities in Canada for all of their efforts in recent weeks but the travel situation made our plans impossible. I equally want to thank the promoter and authorities in Turkey for their ongoing willingness to host a Formula 1 race that shows the huge interest in our sport and the hope from many locations to have a Grand Prix.
“We have had very good conversations will all the other promoters since the start of the year and continue to work closely with them during this period.”
https://twitter.com/F1/status/1387433058220093441
Chris Medland
While studying Sports Journalism at the University of Central Lancashire, Chris managed to talk his way into working at the British Grand Prix in 2008 and was retained for three years before joining ESPN F1 as Assistant Editor. After three further years at ESPN, a spell as F1 Editor at Crash Media Group was followed by the major task of launching F1i.com’s English-language website and running it as Editor. Present at every race since the start of 2014, he has continued building his freelance portfolio, working with international titles. As well as writing for RACER, his broadcast work includes television appearances on F1 TV and as a presenter and reporter on North America's live radio coverage on SiriusXM.
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