INSIDER
01
CORONAVIRUSWREAKS
F1CALENDARCHAOSThe ChineseGrandPrix mayhave to becomea
two-day event – or not happen at all thisyear – owing to
the outbreak of the COVID-19coronavirus disease.As this
edition ofGP Racingwentto pres s, Chinese promoter Juss
Events was working with Formula 1to find an alte rnative
slot in the calendar after therace – scheduled for19 April- was postponed. Questionsremain regarding thenew
Vietnam Grand Prix,due to take place on 5 April,owi ngto
global fears about the spread of the disease.
While not necessarily fatal unlesspati ents have
underlying health problems whichrender them
CHINASEEKS
NEWDATE
PICTURES
vulnerable,COVID-19 has a 14-dayincubation period
before symptoms manifest. That means travellers–
particularly international ones– pl ay an unintentionally
active role in spreading it. Cases were first reportedin
the Chinese city of Wu han last December. According
to the Johns Hopki ns University inthe USA, whichis
maintaining a livetimelineof cases worldwide, over
75,000 caseshave been reported in mainland China at
the time of writing, along with16 in Vietnam and84 i n
Singapore and,just recently,132 i n It aly.
Until aneffecti vevaccine is developed, containingthe
spreadof the disease by avoiding travel is thebest option
available. But that raises aproblem withinternational
events suchas the ChineseGP which,like all F1 races,
involves a multi-million-dollarsanctioningfee pa id by the
promoter to the commercialrights holder: naturally,none
of the stakeholders wished to be responsible for cancelling01
INSIDER
01
CORONAVIRUSWREAKS
F1CALENDARCHAOSThe ChineseGrandPrix mayhave to becomea
two-day event – or not happen at all thisyear – owing to
the outbreak of the COVID-19coronavirus disease.As this
edition ofGP Racingwentto pres s, Chinese promoter Juss
Events was working with Formula 1to find an alte rnative
slot in the calendar after therace – scheduled for19 April- was postponed. Questionsremain regarding thenew
Vietnam Grand Prix,due to take place on 5 April,owi ngto
global fears about the spread of the disease.
While not necessarily fatal unlesspati ents have
underlying health problems whichrender them
CHINASEEKS
NEWDATE
PICTURES
vulnerable,COVID-19 has a 14-dayincubation period
before symptoms manifest. That means travellers–
particularly international ones– pl ay an unintentionally
active role in spreading it. Cases were first reportedin
the Chinese city of Wu han last December. According
to the Johns Hopki ns University inthe USA, whichis
maintaining a livetimelineof cases worldwide, over
75,000 caseshave been reported in mainland China at
the time of writing, along with16 in Vietnam and84 i n
Singapore and,just recently,132 i n It aly.
Until aneffecti vevaccine is developed, containingthe
spreadof the disease by avoiding travel is thebest option
available. But that raises aproblem withinternational
events suchas the ChineseGP which,like all F1 races,
involves a multi-million-dollarsanctioningfee pa id by the
promoter to the commercialrights holder: naturally,none
of the stakeholders wished to be responsible for cancelling01