Shanghai’s Sports Federation has advised that all events should be suspended until the end of the current coronavirus outbreak, placing further doubt over the running of this year’s Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix.
A strain of a coronavirus broke out in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December, and gained international prominence in January as cases spread throughout the country.
Authorities in China acted by quarantining Wuhan, with restrictions imposed upon other cities, as the international community moved to isolate the country.
The United Kingdom Foreign Office currently advises against all but essential travel to mainland China, while major airlines have cancelled flights to and from the country until further notice.
Other nations have placed those who have visited China in quarantine while some countries, including 2020 F1 destinations Australia, USA and Singapore, have begun denying entry to Chinese citizens or those who have visited China.
The FIA confirmed last week that it was monitoring the situation while on Sunday Formula E’s Sanya E-Prix, scheduled for March 21, was called off.
On Wednesday Shanghai’s Sports Federation released a statement recommending that no sporting activities should take place until the end of the crisis.
No end date was placed upon the advisory.
Formula 1’s Chinese Grand Prix is currently scheduled for April 19, as the fourth round of the 2020 championship, between new/returning events in Vietnam and the Netherlands.
There have been over 24,000 recorded cases of the flu-like virus, predominantly in mainland China, while the death toll stands at 490, according to the World Health Organisation.
Under Formula 1’s structure the promoter of an event – in this case Juss Event Management – must notify the Commercial Rights Holder (Liberty Media) of its intentions, should it wish to seek postponement or cancellation altogether.
Formula 1’s Strategy Group is due to discuss the matter at its scheduled meeting today (Wednesday).
