2021 Canadian Grand Prix cancelled; Turkish GP returns in its place

The 2021 Canadian Grand Prix has been cancelled due to new quarantine rules and international travel restrictions implemented in the country.

F1 has confirmed that the Turkish Grand Prix will return later this season in its place, directly replacing the scheduled June 11-13 spot.

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal was scheduled to host round seven of the 2021 season but that no longer possible with local authorities fearing that the event could lead to further cases of coronavirus and new travel restrictions.

Quebec public health director Horacio Arruda said in a press conference earlier this month that due to the rising number of cases, the race was looking unlikely to go ahead but authorities were exploring options to carry out the race safely.

F1 has been racing behind closed doors for the majority of the events since the start of the pandemic last year, and staged the 2020 season in front of empty grandstands on most race weekends.

Teams have also been impacted with less staff travelling to races and face masks being mandated in and around the paddock throughout the past year.

“While it is disappointing we cannot be in Canada this season we are excited to confirm that Turkey will host a Grand Prix in 2021 after an amazing race last season,” F1 CEO Stefano Domenicalli said.

“I know all our fans are excited by the dramatic start to the season and Turkey is a great circuit that delivers great battles on the track. I want to thank the promoter and authorities in Canada for all of their efforts in recent weeks but the travel situation made our plans impossible.

“I equally want to thank the promoter and authorities in Turkey for their ongoing willingness to host a Formula 1 race that shows the huge interest in our sport and the hope from many locations to have a Grand Prix. We have had very good conversations will all the other promoters since the start of the year and continue to work closely with them during this period.”

Last season, the race in Turkey was one of the most chaotic and entertaining of the season, with Lewis Hamilton winning from sixth on the grid to secure his seventh world championship.

F1 said that it would work with local organisers of the race to provide a refund or option to roll tickets over to 2022 for ticket holders to the 2020 or ’21 races.