THE F1 COVID THREAD: Will GP be cancelled?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

I think they need to plan a better strategy to decide on when they are having meetings. Perhaps they should come together as a group?

[chillibowl]

coming together as a group is how diseases spread.

[ScotsBrutesFan]

It would be lunacy to adopt a wait and see, the virus is still on the spread, and so really there is no point holding off.

As the calendar is 22 races this season, if China drops, I doubt the teams and their staff would be heart broken over an extra week or 2 at home base ahead of the start of the European season with the Dutch-Spanish double header.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by ScotsBrutesFan

It would be lunacy to adopt a wait and see, the virus is still on the spread, and so really there is no point holding off.

I was looking at new infection rates in China earlier. It seems that it is not as high as earlier, but seems to be a roughly consistent 20% increase over the past handful of days. Sadly, it seems it will not stop anytime soon. And if they are locking things down (travel), I can't see them opening it up until things have truly reversed.

If there is no decision that comes out from today, I suspect it was lack of information within F1 as to impacts of making a decision. Such as... can we wait X days and the cost of not doing it will be roughly the same? Which I understand that logic if it goes that way. No doubt a committee will be formed!

But as I (and you) say above, the key driver is that things are getting worse and even if it was to magically slow, it will likely be weeks (if not longer) for any thawing of travel lock downs. Which means, it "should" be an easy decision to say "It is cancelled".

Richard

[Richard C]

Interesting twitter thread...

https://twitter.com/ChinaF1Journo/st...12969257115648

A translation of the orig Chinese content is shown deeper in the thread. As best as I can tell, Shanghai authorities are halting any sporting activities until the epidemic is over. I would assume that "over" means deep into the backside of the curve of new infections (which is nowhere in sight).

The decision may not lie with F1.

Richard

[Oldtony]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

The decision may not lie with F1.

Richard

Which is the eventuality that the lawyers are probably telling Liberty puts them at least financial risk.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Oldtony

Which is the eventuality that the lawyers are probably telling Liberty puts them at least financial risk.

Wouldn't the Chinese organisers of the GP, have already stumped up the sanctioning fee, considering the calendar had been finalised before the caronavirus outbreak?

[Oldtony]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Wouldn't the Chinese organisers of the GP, have already stumped up the sanctioning fee, considering the calendar had been finalised before the caronavirus outbreak?

I'd imagine the cheque has been received, cashed and cleared.
The thing that the Liberty lawyers would be awaiting is a decision from the Chinese that means they cannot be pursued for non delivery of the event.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Oldtony

I'd imagine the cheque has been received, cashed and cleared.
The thing that the Liberty lawyers would be awaiting is a decision from the Chinese that means they cannot be pursued for non delivery of the event.

Exactly, we didn't cancel, you did. Your problem, call your event insurance but we aren't in the habit of rebates here for events we didn't cancel.

[E.B]

The Chinese Formula E race scheduled for Sanya was cancelled by mutual agreement of all parties involved, including the FIA, Chinese (or local) Goverment, the Promoter, and ABB the owner of FE, if I am reading the relevant part of the FIA statement correctly.

In view of the continued spread of coronavirus and after close consultation with the relevant departments of Hainan Province and Sanya Municipal Government, Formula E - together with the FIA, the Federation of Automobile and Motorcycle Sports of People’s Republic of China (CAMF), and regional partner Enova Holdings - have jointly decided not to race in Sanya on the scheduled date of March 21, 2020.

Full statement: https://www.fia.com/news/statement-sanya-e-prix

[S griffin]

Why is everyone saying the FE event has been cancelled? It's only been postponed, at least for now

https://www.autosport.com/fe/news/14...virus-outbreak

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Why is everyone saying the FE event has been cancelled? It's only been postponed, at least for now

https://www.autosport.com/fe/news/14...virus-outbreak

I think, because of headlines to articles such as 'Formula E cancels China round due to coronavirus'.

You are correct to point out that, currently, the race is postponed pending further review of potential alternatives. Your point here highlights why the language and terminology used in posts is important.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Why is everyone saying the FE event has been cancelled? It's only been postponed, at least for now

https://www.autosport.com/fe/news/14...virus-outbreak

It has been removed totally from the FE website. Their calendar now only shows it as a 13 race championship. (With the final round in London being a double race weekend)
https://www.fiaformulae.com/en/champ.../race-calendar

The FIA statement I linked to previously says all the parties will "continue monitoring the situation as it develops. All parties will take the appropriate amount of time to study the viability of potential alternative dates should the situation improve.

In other words they wont consider any viability of alternative dates until the situation warrants it. It is going to get a lot worse before it gets better, and with those who know stating there is no hope of any antidote or vaccine until mid year at the earliest at best it is unlikely.

Dont forget their season is not a calendar year.... their championship started last year and finishes in July this year, with London guaranteed the final race.

We should probably return to the topic, that being the F1 GP. I only raised the Chinese FE removal from their calendar to highlight the fact all parties involved had discussed and mutually agreed on their action. It was not led by any one side, be it promoter, organiser, owner or government.

[bjohnsonsmith]

According to this article, F1 will try to find an alternative date, that's if the race is called off and they are waiting for the Chinese race promoter to make a decision on the race itself.

https://classic.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/148150

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Oldtony

I'd imagine the cheque has been received, cashed and cleared.
The thing that the Liberty lawyers would be awaiting is a decision from the Chinese that means they cannot be pursued for non delivery of the event.

no doubt they will want legal protection and i suspect the teams, who themselves may have independently signed up for various promotional events or what not which they now need to get out of, are also looking for some protection.

just my own inference, but the teams need FOM to cancel, FOM needs the FIA to cancel, the FIA needs the local auto club/promoter to cancel, the local auto club needs the Shanghai or Chinese national sporting governing body to cancel...and all the way up the legal ladder of indemnity. such is the way of the world...even in China surprisingly.


thinking back to Bahrain 2011 though...i dont think anyone is looking to take the money and run. i imagine every effort will be made to reschedule either this season/next year/as soon as possible.

i imagine there is potentially more money to be made down the road if FOM/FIA shows as much support for China in coming back after this health crisis is over.

bit of a side note, i was doing a some reading about Bahrain 2011 and it seems Ross Brawn was kind of vocal about his displeasure of rescheduling that race. while his concern was more about his team and their own logistic issues, it will be interesting to see how he handles the issue of rescheduling now that he is part of FOM management.

[S griffin]

Really they will struggle to find another date. I don’t mind Shanghai too much, it’s a decent layout that allows overtaking and unlike most newer venues, attracts a decent crowd. However considering we have 21 other races on the calendar, I think losing this one GP won’t hurt.

Going back to Bahrain 2011, that attempt to reschedule was a complete waste of time and effort and was rightly called off in the end

[EastonNeston]

there will be a fixed date, for logistical reasons, when the decision has to be made by.


A the UK government advice is to avoid non essential travel to China, the required insurances for the staff and equipment will be void, and therefore it is highly unlikely that the British based team would travel. There is likely to be a similar situation for the non UK based teams.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Oldtony

I'd imagine the cheque has been received, cashed and cleared.
The thing that the Liberty lawyers would be awaiting is a decision from the Chinese that means they cannot be pursued for non delivery of the event.

You would hope that Liberty would consider that the Chinese GP financiers are long term F1 problems and have encountered a problem beyond their control that has impacted on their ability to host the Chinese GP, and Liberty should work with them to come to a solution that damages everyone as little as possible. Whilst Liberty is a business, you would hope that they would behave like civilized human beings and not a pack of hyenas!

Small hope these days, but a hope nevertheless!

What goes round comes round.

[Adam43]

Pretty much all of the cynical views and observations that place the welfare of the people a distant second I’ve seen here.

The approach from the organisers, Liberty, the FIA seems to be perfectly acceptable.

[chillibowl]

just my opinion, but i dont feel like the thread reads as cynical. in fact i think we have done a pretty good job at discussing this from multiple sides. the risk to the team, the fans, from a logistics point of view, from a management and legal point of view...and i think all posts share the desire to see this race return once it is safe.

of course we could always use a bit more of this.

[Adam43]

It was more let’s not stray into suggesting that the people in the sport are uncaring and acting in a cynical way to a serious real world problem. The might even make the wrong choices, but that would be more to do with poor information. Of course they might even want to reduce exposure, but to suggest that this comes before people demonstrates more about us than them I feel.

Just sticking up for people

[Moneyseeker]

I would imagine that the FIA and Liberty accept that it will not take place and behind the scenes it is a question of whether it is postponement or cancellation.

Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Adam43

It was more let’s not stray into suggesting that the people in the sport are uncaring and acting in a cynical way to a serious real world problem. The might even make the wrong choices, but that would be more to do with poor information. Of course they might even want to reduce exposure, but to suggest that this comes before people demonstrates more about us than them I feel.

Just sticking up for people

ah fair fair.

[Casper]

I have just had an email from my supplier in China saying the factory opening has been put back a week and I must say I am not surprised. Whether this is a good indicator of how things are going or not I don't know.

[S griffin]

They have probably erred on the side of caution and are right to let you know, it's a tricky situation. It's a big crisis at the moment, let's hope all is sorted in time