AusLeisure

Formula One has announced that the Singapore Grand Prix will be cancelled for the second year in a row because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

With the Canadian Grand Prix already having been removed from the 23-race series and races in China and Turkey having been postponed and awaiting a slot in F1’s 2021 schedule, the cancellation of the night-time race will see further changes to the series calendar.

As speculation mounted on Friday about Singapore's imminent removal from the schedule, reports indicated that F1’s schedule amendments might see a second event in the United States this season. Alternatively, Singapore’s slot in the calendar race, which had been scheduled to run under floodlights on 3rd October, might now be used to schedule a race in China.

With Singapore having experienced a second wave of Coronavirus infections, organisers had advised that they would not be able to deliver "a full event experience fans have come to expect over the years, while safeguarding the health and safety of our fans, contractors, volunteers and staff."

Colin Syn, Deputy Chairman of the Singapore GP, advised “we understand that our fans were looking forward to another edition of the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix.

"To cancel the event for a second year is an incredibly difficult decision, but a necessary one in light of the prevailing restrictions for live events in Singapore."

The cancellation will also see thousands of deferred tickets from last year to now be refunded. Tickets for this year’s race had yet to be released for sale, pending the decision on the event’s feasibility. Ticket holders who deferred their 2020 tickets to the 2021 race will now be fully refunded, with organisers saying they will be contacting them directly with the details.

In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Formula One held consecutive races at Austria's Red Bull Ring, Silverstone in England and the Bahrain International Circuit. In each case, the season calendar was arranged to allow two weeks at each track.

Among rescheduled races in 2021, the season-opener in Melbourne has already been postponed from March to November.

Under current conditions, only fully-vaccinated personnel will be allowed to travel to and participate in Melbourne’s race on 21st November.

Related Articles

31st May 2021 - Indian Premier League season to continue in the UAE in September and October

26th May 2021 - Fans to get Coronavirus tests after Marvel Stadium alert

29th March 2021 - Formula 1 looks to reach a billion fans by 2022

19th March 2021 - New Saudi Arabian Grand Prix revealed as F1’s ‘fastest street track’

16th March 2021 - Organisers limit ticket sales for Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix limited to vaccinated and COVID-19 recovered fans

1st February 2021 - Formula E confirms Saudi Arabian start with Asian legs postponed in part schedule for 2021 race series

13th January 2021 - Chinese F1 Grand Prix postponed to second half of 2021

12th January 2021 - F1 postpones Melbourne Grand Prix to November

15th December 2020 - Yas Island Abu Dhabi rewards frontline workers with visits to Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2020 and attractions

8th December 2020 - ‘Hybrid’ 2020 Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2020 welcomes 12,000 participants

12th November 2020 - Vietnamese Grand Prix dropped as F1 announces longest ever race calendar for 2021

5th November 2020 - Saudi Arabia to host first F1 Grand Prix in 2021

25th August 2020 - Formula 1 adds Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Turkey to 2020 race calendar

24th August 2020 - Singapore opens ‘travel bubble’ for New Zealanders

6th August 2020 - World Health Organization says large crowds for sporting events are unrealistic this year

13th March 2020 - Australian Grand Prix called off due to Coronavirus concerns

13th February 2020 - Coronavirus fears sees postponement of F1 Chinese Grand Prix

15th November 2019 - F1 announces net-zero carbon plan for 2030

23rd September 2019 - F1 moves to leverage data insights to drive decision-making

19th September 2017 - Singapore Grand Prix attendance rises by 19%

22nd April 2014 - Singapore Airlines becomes title sponsor of Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix

19th January 2009 - Singapore F1 circuit to change

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.