The Canadian Grand Prix, like the US Grand Prix, was a bust last year due to COVID-19 but it seems that this year is also heading for a potential “no go” in Montreal for the June race.
According to CBC, public health officials are against the race being held:
“Local public health officials are concerned about the arrival of 2,500 expected participants and the potential they will come into contact with volunteers and local staff.
Other concerns include the fact that participants will not be able to quarantine upon their arrival from Baku, Azerbaijan, where a race is scheduled the weekend before, and the possibility that gatherings will be held outside the hotels where participants would be staying.
“It’s pretty soon. The teams would arrive in less than seven weeks, so the population wouldn’t be vaccinated, and we will still be in mitigation mode for the variants,” said Dr. Mylène Drouin, Montreal’s public health director.”
Canada has been in the US news of late with its strict crackdown on many gatherings but the article does say that officials believe the race could be held if there were no spectators and F1 adheres to strict local guidelines.
F1 wants to forego the 14-day quarantine and rely on, what the article calls, “private medical staff to keep COVID from spreading among personnel.” It also mentions that F1 wants $6 million for a no-spectator race which is interesting if that figure is correct.
F1 says they are continuing talks with the race promoter over the fate of the race in June.
