Chinese GP secures extended F1 race deal until 2025

China had been an ever-present on the F1 calendar since its first race in 2004 until the COVID-19 pandemic hit, forcing the cancelation of events both last year and this season. 

The Chinese Grand Prix will also be absent from F1’s record-breaking 23-round 2022 calendar, owing to “ongoing pandemic conditions". 

But F1 has announced grand prix racing is set to return to the purpose-built Shanghai venue from 2023 as part of a new three-year agreement that will see the world championship visit the country until at least 2025. 

“This is great news for all of our fans in China and we are delighted to announce this agreement that will see us racing in Shanghai until 2025,” F1 CEO and president Stefano Domenicali said. 

“Our partnership with the promoter Juss Sports is incredibly strong and we look forward to continuing our long term partnership. 

“While we are all disappointed we could not include China on the 2022 calendar due to ongoing pandemic conditions, we are very pleased that this new agreement will ensure our fans in China have Formula 1 racing to look forward to in the coming years.”

F1 celebrated its 1000th grand prix at the last race to be held in China in 2019. 

China is yet to produce an F1 race driver but Formula 2 championship frontrunner Guanyu Zhou is believed to be a candidate for the vacant seat at Alfa Romeo, with Antonio Giovinazzi expected to lose his drive. 

Zhou is currently second in the F2 drivers’ standings and 36 points behind fellow Alpine junior Oscar Piastri heading into the final two rounds of the 2021 season at Jeddah and Yas Marina.