The Paris-based international automobile sport governing body FIA said in a statement yesterday that the FIA Formula 3 World Cup, FIA GT World Cup and final round of the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup “will not feature on the bill of this year’s Macau Grand Prix.”
The statement pointed out that the Macau government has confirmed that, for the foreseeable future, all those arriving in Macau “must undergo a quarantine of 21 days immediately after arrival.”
The statement added that “with the majority of competitors taking part in the FIA event coming from outside the region, this presents the drivers, teams and suppliers with conditions that are difficult to comply with.”
As a result, the statement said, "the FIA Formula 3 World Cup and FIA GT World Cup will not take place in 2021, with the aim of returning next year."
According to the statement, a revised calendar for the second half of the 2021 WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup season, including a new event to replace the Macau round, will be announced in due course.
The statement noted that the WTCR Promoter, Eurosport Events, “has confirmed that its intention is to also return to [Macau’s] Guia Circuit in 2022.”
The statement underlined that the 68th edition of the Macau Grand Prix is still scheduled to take place in November, adding that it will “feature international-level competitions”. The statement also said that “further details of the event programme will be announced by the Automobile General Association Macao-China (AAMC) in due course.”
The statement quoted FIA Secretary General Sport Peter Bayer as saying that “for many years, the Macau Grand Prix has been a season-ending tradition for much of the motor sport world and it holds special significance for the FIA as the only event to feature three different FIA World Cups on the same event schedule.
“While we will miss not being there ourselves, we wish the organisers a safe and successful Macau Grand Prix in November and we will start working immediately towards the 2022 event”.
Macau confirmed its first COVID-19 case in January last year. Last year's Macau Grand Prix also took place without its signature F3 race. A F4 race was held instead.
