Wednesday, August 18, 2021
“Uncertainties” prevent GP
Formula 1 has to “find solutions” again
Formula 1 will not stop in Japan this year either: The traditional race on the Suzuka track will fall victim to “continuing uncertainties” in 2021. The premier class is confident of being able to present a replacement race quickly.
Formula 1 is not driving in Japan this year either because of the consequences of the corona pandemic. After lengthy negotiations with the organizer and the authorities, the race in Suzuka, which was actually planned for October 10, will be canceled, the racing series announced. Previously, due to the alarming corona infection situation, the Japanese government had once again extended the state of emergency for the capital Tokyo and expanded it to other prefectures.
Formula 1 will present the new plans for a converted calendar in the coming weeks, it said. The World Cup races in Canada, Singapore and Australia had already been canceled. There are also doubts as to whether the race in Brazil can take place in November. “Formula 1 has shown this year that we can adapt and find solutions to the ongoing uncertainty,” said the racing series.
Suzuka, the Schumacher route
There is a continuing high level of interest from many countries in hosting a Grand Prix. Originally, Formula 1 had planned a record calendar with 23 World Cup races for this season. The Japan race had already been canceled last year due to the corona crisis. In 2019, Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas won the last Formula 1 race in Suzuka for the time being, Sebastian Vettel experienced one of his fewer and fewer good days in Ferrari as second.
The Grand Prix in Suzuka is one of the races that is particularly closely associated with the German Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher: with six wins, the seven-time world champion is the record winner in Japan, and in 2003 he won his fourth world championship title there.
Long-time Ferrari mastermind Ross Brawn remembers another big race in Suzuka, which was particularly significant for the traditional Scuderia, which was tormented by an almost eternal sporting dry spell: “I associate so many memories with this circuit, and they have, above all, with me To do with a driver who dominated in Suzuka, and that was Michael Schumacher. The best and most emotional experience was the win in 2000, with which he gave Ferrari its first title after a lean period of 21 years. ” In 2012, Schumacher finally announced the end of his great racing career at the Japanese GP.
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