Canadian GP chiefs ‘realistic’ over hosting F1 race and will make a decision by Easter
CANADIAN GRAND PRIX bosses say they will make a decision on whether to postpone the race within the next three weeks.
F1 chiefs have been forced to cancel or postpone the opening eight races of the season following the coronavirus outbreak.
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They had hoped that the race in Montreal would be the first of the season on June 14 after the Australian GP was scrapped.
However, with the pandemic accelerating in North America, track bosses say they want to wait before making a decision.
Francois Dumontier, the Canadian GP promoter, said: "We would have to make a decision by Easter weekend.
"If the situation has improved by then, we could have the site ready on schedule."
While all non-essential businesses have been closed, the circuit is set away from the city centre on the Ile Notre Dame in the St Lawrence Seaway.
It means that, potentially, it can be isolated, unlike the races that have tumbled in Australia, Bahrain, Shanghai, Barcelona, Baku, Monaco, Zandvoort and Hanoi.
'OPTIMISTIC'
However, it would still depend on whether teams would be allowed to travel to Canada from their respective bases.
Dumontier added: "We're in a better position than Monaco or Baku where they race through the city streets and have to build a track.
"We have the track. We're optimistic but we also know things change by the hour, so we're also realistic."
While F1 boss, Chase Carey, said this week that he hopes to have between 15 and 18 races this season after cancelling the summer break, Dumontier says time is limited due to the harsh winters in Montreal.
He said: "We must completely forget the current F1 calendar. Countries will change dates. We will have to make certain concessions, or accommodations.
"Obviously, as we know, I will not be able to present the Canadian Grand Prix in November in Montreal.
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"It has to be within the months that allow it, so we would be talking about the end of summer, or the beginning of autumn."
Meanwhile, Renault's F1 ace, Daniel Riccardo says it "hurt" seeing the Monaco race cancelled due to the virus.
Ricciardo, who lives in the Principality, said: "I was looking at an onboard of Monaco last night and I got a bit sad.
"I really don't know where we are, and it hurts a bit. They all hurt a little, Melbourne, where we were so close. Reality is slowly beginning to sink in."