Formula One’s Shanghai Grand Prix at risk amid coronavirus fears

The Chinese Grand Prix is in jeopardy amid growing fears over the spread of the coronavirus across China.

Race organizers are closely monitoring the situation and a final decision will be made by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and Shanghai Grand Prix organization. The grand prix is due to take place on April 19.

“I think, if there is a probability it doesn’t happen in April, it will be postponed,” Ross Brawn, managing director of Formula One, told motorsport.com. “We will leave open the opportunity to see if the race can run later in the year.

“China is an enthusiastic, growing market. So we’d like to have a race in China.”

If the race is canceled, there would be a four week break in the middle of the F1 calendar. The inaugural Vietnamese Grand Prix takes place in early April, and without Shanghai, there wouldn’t be another race until the return of the Dutch Grand Prix at the beginning of May.

The China race has been held at the Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai since the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix in 2004.

Wuhan, where the coronavirus outbreak originated, has been quarantined to prevent further spread of the illness.

As the coronavirus death toll approaches 500 and the number of cases in China exceeds 20,000, the Shanghai Sports Federation has advised that all events should be suspended until the outbreak of the illness ends.

There had been rumors earlier this week that the Shanghai race might swap dates with the Russian Grand Prix.

However, that idea was scuppered after race officials in Russia said they would not consider the switch.

Brawn helped Ferrari win six consecutive constructors' championships and five consecutive drivers' championships while working as the team principal.

Brawn also dismissed such an idea, saying: “We probably wouldn’t do that,” he old motorsport.com. “We will just try to find a window of when the race could happen towards the end of the year.”

The ex-Mercedes and Ferrari team principal said that the situation “looks very difficult” and that the decision was out of F1’s hands.

“We’re waiting for the Chinese promoter and authorities to make the final decision, which I think they will”, he said.

“They have canceled all the public events in March. So no public sporting events or activities.

“So it is a tragic and very difficult situation. I think it’ll become clear in the next week or two what’s going to happen.”

The Shanghai race isn’t the first motorsport event in China affected by coronavirus; the Formula E race due to be held March 21 in Sanya, China has also been canceled.

Meanwhile, Chinese Formula E driver Ma Qinghua has been quarantined ahead of the Mexico ePrix.

A number of sporting events in China have already been postponed, canceled or under threat.

The potential cancellation of the Chinese Grand Prix marks the latest disruption in the sporting world caused by the coronavirus: