Due to entry regulations and financial problems, no race will be possible in Montreal again.
The Canadian Formula 1 Grand Prix in Montreal is in danger for the second year in a row due to the corona pandemic. According to the specialist portal Autoweek , the World Cup run planned for June 13th could not take place again due to the country's current entry regulations and financial difficulties of the organizers. There is speculation about a move to Turkey on the Istanbul Park Circuit. A decision should be made this week.
Since fans will not be allowed in Montreal, funding the event will be more difficult than in the past. In addition, a 14-day quarantine is currently required upon entry. However, this cannot be implemented for the Formula 1 entourage of around 2,000 people, as they will be driving in Baku / Azerbaijan a week beforehand. Even shortening the quarantine to seven days, as for other professional athletes in Canada, would not help.
Due to the pandemic, there had been no race in Montreal in 2020, the contract with Formula 1 runs until 2029. “It is important that the race stays in Montreal,” said Mayor Valerie Plante of the newspaper La Presse . “If it doesn't work out this year, it has to work out next year because that's important to us.” Implementation in 2021 is difficult to convey because tax money is also used that is more urgently needed elsewhere.
Lousy corona situation in Turkey
How realistic a race in Turkey is instead remains open. From Wednesday, the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will tighten the restrictions on infection protection in view of the rapidly increasing corona infections. The Ministry of Health only reported 59,187 new infections on Tuesday, the highest level since the pandemic began. Istanbul in particular is very badly affected, with around 800 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The route on the Bosporus had already jumped in during the corona crisis in November 2020.
