The Times has learned that the Macau Grand Prix, the largest annual event organized in Macau, will go ahead as planned, unaffected by the outbreak of the coronavirus known as Covid-19.
According to information disclosed to the Times by the Macau Grand Prix Organizing Committee (MGPOC), the planning of the event has not been affected. “The organization of the 67th Macau Grand Prix, which is due to be held from 19 to 22 November 2020, is ongoing according to schedule,” the MGPOC said.
The motorsport event held annually in November will be probably one of the few major events organized by the government this year, after the acknowledgment that several other sports, arts, and tourism-related events have announced their cancellation this year.
At the international level, several events have also been canceled or postponed, including the
The 2020 FIA Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix was initially scheduled to take place in Shanghai on the weekend of April 17 to 19. The event, now postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak, has not yet been ruled out of this year’s F1 calendar, with the FIA and Formula 1 stating that they will “continue to work closely with the teams, race promoter, Federation of Automobile and Motorcycle Sports of People’s Republic of China and the local authorities to monitor the situation as it develops.”
In the same joint statement, all parties also claimed to be taking “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 organizers also reaffirmed, in accordance with the declaration by the World Health Organization of Covid-19 as a global health emergency, that measures are being taken “to ensure the health and safety of the traveling staff, championship participants and fans, which remains a primary concern.”
In the same statement, the FIA also said that it is monitoring the global situation “with regard to other motorsport events,” hinting that other events might also be somewhat affected.
Among those rumored to be in high consideration of being canceled is also the debuting 2020 Vietnam Grand Prix scheduled to take place in Hanoi from April 3 to 5.
For the time being the FIA, the F1 and the promoters are continuing to work so that the event, happening for the first time, is held on the original date.
More directly related to the Macau Grand Prix is the 2020 FIA Formula 3 Championship which has no race scheduled to be held in China.
The F3 championship is scheduled to start on March 20 in Bahrain followed by a total of eight other racing weekends all held on the European continent.
Also without any changes to the original program is the F3 Asian Championship, a regional event which started in Sepang, Malaysia, in December last year and will end this weekend in Thailand after visits to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and a second-round in Malaysia.
Meanwhile, the FIA World Touring Car Cup will also continue as planned with races scheduled to be held on the mainland – in the city of Chunxiao in Beilun’s coastal development near Ningbo, Zhejiang province – prior to its Macau race.
The Ningbo race is scheduled to take place during the weekend of September 18 to 20, two months earlier than the Macau event and, for the time being, no postponement or cancellation is being considered.
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