The Chinese Grand Prix has once again been canceled for the 2023 season and we know that Formula 1 bosses are looking for a replacement to keep the calendar at 24 races.
China was named in the initial 2023 F1 calendar but will not feature due to issues surrounding the staging of the event as usual due to the ongoing COVID issues in the country.
The most linked venue in recent weeks has been the Portimao circuit, which hosted grands prix in 2020 and 2021. The promoter from Portugal is believed to have the funds to pull off another grand prix and is considered the frontrunner.
He’s a solid all-around option for a relatively late substitute, and seems the most likely at this stage (assuming China is replaced).
But a prominent favorite to join the calendar doesn’t stop us from dreaming, especially as F1 is keen to highlight the fact that more options exist – and rightly so, as there are plenty of fun candidates out there.
F1 is likely to have a very small list, but a variety of circuits have been temporary options during the COVID-19 pandemic and we believe there are many more viable candidates.
Although with some of our suggestions on other ways F1 might consider replacing China, you may need to get a little more creative or be willing to sacrifice a few million dollars as well…
ADELAIDE
Let’s start with an option that probably won’t be on any F1 long list for 2023 or beyond: Adelaide.
Australian fans had to wait without any races in 2020 and 2021, so it would be a nice reward for them, as well as a return to a classic venue, and the city itself was tentatively interested in reviving the race a few years ago. Although F1 last used it in 1995, it is still part of the Supercars calendar.
But there is something that caught our attention about Adelaide, and that is the interest in sustainability: a powerful buzzword in F1.
The Chinese gap follows the Australian GP on the 2023 calendar. Standing still for an Aussie doubleheader would lend some sustainability credibility to the F1 calendar as, frankly, it’s ridiculous for F1 to travel all the way to Melbourne for one go. , without even having a career in Asia or the Middle East to match it. with.
sepang
Whenever the topic of a possible replacement race in F1 comes up, Sepang is always a popular cry.
The Malaysian Grand Prix has not been held since 2017 because the amount of crowds was not considered good enough compared to the increasing cost of organizing the event.
So, you’ve never actually made a deal in the Liberty Media era. But in just a few years, several F1 races have gone from troubled to sold-out.
The popularity of the championship has never been higher, so a Malaysian GP could be a very different story in 2023. And Sepang is a mega track, which should still be home to F1.
Unfortunately, there still doesn’t seem to be much interest from circuit bosses in bringing F1 back, at least in the short term, largely thanks to the economic impact of the pandemic.
F1 doesn’t need to convince countries to hold a race as the demand is massive, but this would be a brilliant tactic to change their tactics, to try and tempt them back into the fold.
ISTANBUL
The Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul returned twice in two COVID-affected seasons and can be presumed to be a keen contender.
He was very interested in reaching a long-term deal with F1 beyond the last of those races in 2021.
However, while the circuit was once something of a modern classic, its years of minimal use have taken their toll and the infrastructure is no longer considered F1 level.
It’s still a good solution if F1 finds itself in a hole, it could benefit from some state funding, and it’s more realistic than some others we suggest here.
SEOUL
A slightly different variation on the theme for this one: how about not necessarily replacing China by 2023 and shifting priorities, even if it has to be a longer-term move?
F1 is keen to race in Seoul (NOT the track that hosted the FE season finale, pictured above) and the South Korean capital is equally keen to welcome the championship.
A new race, even a street track, won’t be ready until April 2023 and maybe not even later in the year. So a similar China 2023 replacement is probably not possible.
But F1 is trying to rebuild its presence in Asia after the COVID-hit years and South Korea is a great candidate for F1 to prioritize in the east for the long term.
There would be worse announcements than hearing that F1 is aiming for the moon with Seoul and seeing what is possible, either by 2023 or, much more realistically, beyond.
HOCKENHEIM OR NURBURGRING
F1 is slowly evolving in the length of its calendar and that means the European races are fading away.
While money from the Middle East and growth opportunities seen in the US and Asia beckon to F1, championship bosses know its spiritual heart is crucial.
The German market is especially important, so the decline in its presence has been unfortunate for F1.
With Sebastian Vettel and Mick Schumacher coming off the grid at the same time, Germany’s relevance has been further reduced, even with the return of Nico Hulkenberg.
F1 isn’t thrilled about it, so why not try to bring back the German Grand Prix?
Making a favorable one-off deal to have Hockenheim or the Nurburgring return in 2023 would be a valid way to tap into the German market and see if there is enough interest to revive the race full-time as part of F1’s current boom.
KYALAMI
F1 has been wanting to add a race in South Africa for some years now and it looked like this could happen next year.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali even traveled to Kyalami earlier this year in the hope that a deal could be struck for the race to take place in April 2023.
But negotiations dragged on without resolution and promoters are believed to have failed to convince F1 that the race could be guaranteed beyond a year.
It wouldn’t work for F1 to celebrate South Africa’s return to the calendar only to have it disappear after one edition.
But if presented independently, it could act as a litmus test of career interest and viability and be perfectly viable to frame as unique.
buddha
The circuit outside of Delhi only hosted three grands prix and none of them were classics, but it was one of the best modern circuits to appear on the F1 calendar in the 21st century, even with such esteemed drivers as Lewis Hamilton. and Jenson Button.
A return to India would be welcome. There’s a lot to like about him and going back there would add shine to the world championship and a career in a country with a lot of F1 interest, not to mention offer a replacement for China who are still in Asia, even if it’s not as-for- like swap in the east.
The circuit has remained in use and will even be a slightly surprising part of the 2023 MotoGP calendar.
That means it still has international aspirations and the means to fulfill them. So who’s to say that a second chance in F1 is impossible?
PAUL RICHARD
The reported impending closure of the company that has promoted the French Grand Prix since 2018 is not a particularly encouraging start to this suggestion.
France was on the calendar until this season and has been dropped because it lacks massive financial support, has had logistical problems related to circuit access and never really wowed the drivers and fans.
But Paul Ricard is a high-quality, permanent facility, perfectly equipped to host F1, with recent experience of what it takes, and investment to improve the issues around the event.
As far as plug-in-and-play hosting venues go, it’s extremely handy.
do not bother yourself
Some might argue that doing nothing is the best option. After all, F1’s bloated calendar is a very divisive topic.
F1 is keen to replace China on the existing calendar because of the gap that would be left in the calendar if that slot remains empty.
China was meant to hold a separate event on April 16, between the Australia and Azerbaijan races.
One idea is not to replace China and move Azerbaijan forward a week to April 23, which would also free Baku’s race from an awkward back-to-back with Miami.
It is understood that there was resistance to this from the Baku promoter, so this idea could be dead in the water.
It would be a shame if that is the case, as it would be a good compromise that keeps the calendar pace, eradicates a rubbish doubleheader and shows that F1 is willing to forgo extra races if necessary.
Keyword: 10 other options for F1’s 2023 calendar gap
