Photo: Honda
The Canadian Grand Prix in Montréal has been canceled for the second year running. It is scheduled to return to Formula 1 in 2022 and has signed a two-year contract extension that would ensure its place on the calendar through 2031. In the meantime, round seven of the 2021 season will be changed to the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul.
For several weeks there were doubts over whether the 2021 Canadian Grand Prix could stay on the 2021 calendar, as health authorities in Montréal and Québec could not come to an agreement on whether to approve F1’s request for an exception to the mandatory 14-day quarantine.
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Without this exception, the 1600 team and F1 personnel involved in the races would not be able to travel to Canada from the previous event in Baku, Azerbaijan, which takes place just a week before. The 2020 race was also canceled last year because of COVID-19 and fans have yet to receive ticket refunds, though F1 said in a statement that this would get rectified.
“We will work with the promoter to ensure those with tickets from 2020 and 2021 races get the options of a refund or to transfer their tickets to next year’s race and look forward to racing in Canada in 2022,” the organization said.
F1 and the Canadian authorities responsible for the grand prix also signed a contract extension that would append the two canceled races to the end of the original term. Previously, the Canadian Grand Prix had been set to appear in F1 through 2029. Now, it’s expected to stay on the calendar through 2031.
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For the 2021 season, it will be replaced by the Turkish Grand Prix, which also made an impromptu appearance last year to great success. “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,” said Stefano Domenicali, new president and CEO of Formula 1.
“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,” Domenicali added. “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.”
Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.