October’s Suzuka race is cancelled for the second consecutive year due to the pandemic.
The Japanese Grand Prix should have taken place from 8-10 of October and will be rescheduled. F1 have a number of options to fill in the cancelled race and will release a final season schedule in the following weeks.
The Japanese government decided to cancel the three-day event after consultation with the F1 officials.
“The decision has been taken by the Japanese government to cancel the race this season due to ongoing complexities of the pandemic,” said Formula 1.
“Formula 1 is working on the details of the revised calendar and will announce the final details in the coming weeks.”
Japan was due to be the 17th of 23 rounds in this season’s circuit.
Races in Australia, China, Canada and Singapore have already been called off this season, with the Turkish Grand Prix initially cancelled but later reinstated.
“Formula 1 has proven this year, and in 2020, that we can adapt and find solutions to the ongoing uncertainties and is excited by the level of interest in locations to host Formula 1 events this year and beyond,” read an F1 statement.
Japan was the host of the season’s final races six times during the 1990s and the beginning of the 2000s, however the 2021 calendar will conclude with the first Saudi Arabia Grand Prix on 5 December followed by the season finale in Abu Dhabi a week later.
The F1 season resumes next week with the Belgian GP, the first event of a triple header in Europe followed by Dutch GP at Zandvoort and then the Italian Grand Prix in Monza.
Mercedes Lewis Hamilton holds an eight-point lead over Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in the driver standings.
