It is not easy to disarm the Great Circus almost from one day to the next, because of the enormous amount of money, personnel and interests that have been involved over the months, but unfortunately it has happened too many times, and sometimes this way. in the century
Virus
The most recent was the Australian Grand Prix in 2020, before the start of the race that same Friday, in the full gamut of a Covid-19 that had not yet fully erupted, and is, in fact, still alive and kicking in Italy. Is rotating He then infiltrated the McLaren team and after a meeting of the drivers and organizers it was decided to suspend him. Then came several more downpours and a mini World Cup that began in July and continues to dominate the calendar into 2021. Since then F1 has not yet returned to China.
Social rebellion
In Bahrain 2011, the opening event of the season, scheduled to take place from 11 to 13 March in Sakhir, at the dawn of the Arab Spring, was all but canceled due to riots ravaging the small country on the Persian Gulf. Bahrain’s trial was in doubt as the country became the scene of public protests by protesters calling for reform on 14 February, both for security reasons and for fears that the occasion would be used as a global platform to publicize political claims. Will be used.
The outbreak caught many of the then GP2 drivers in the popular Plaza de la Perla, who were scared in the midst of shots and street riots. “I spent the night listening to shots,” admitted Dani Klose to Marca, then present at the scene.
Wars
The 1982 Argentine Grand Prix suffered shortly before its celebration due to heightened tensions in the Malvinas, which led to war with Great Britain, which put an end to the race, although in theory a lack of sponsor was blamed. .
The two races that were to be held in June 1957 as Belgium (again) and the Netherlands were canceled due to the oil crisis at Suez, involving several countries such as Great Britain, France, Egypt and Israel due to lack of supply. Price movement meant that both appointments could not be held and the championship invented an extra in Pescara at the end of the year as compensation.
Earthquake
Another major one, in January 1995 in Kobe, ended the scheduled Pacific Grand Prix, to be held at the Okayama Circuit on 16 April, and killed over 6,000 people. The race was postponed until October, where it could be held.
Political war
Prior to this, one of the most famous suspensions was the 1980 Spanish Grand Prix, which marked the first major win against the FIA for Bernie Ecclestone and the teams, particularly the British. The race was not counted and does not appear in Formula 1 records, although it was held and left an indelible image, that of the drivers playing football at the Jarama finish line, while it was clear was done whether they were running or not.
The same happened with South Africa in 1981, which played but does not figure in the history of the championship. Same war, same hero, different cause. This time it was the aerodynamic mud flaps, which had been suspended for that year but which were recovered by English troops led by Ecclestone, while the lawmen (Ferrari, Alfa, Renault, Ligier, etc., allied with FISA) did not use it. This was the first race of a championship called Formula Libre, which stayed there.
Low security
A ‘cursed’ circuit in this sense is Spa. In 1969, the pilots walked out on the lack of safety on the track, particularly the guardrails, and the race was suspended, again the following year with their requests already kept. A Grand Prix in history, to be held on June 2, 1985 at the Spa-Fracourchamps circuit.
The circuit received a new layer of asphalt last week which began to rise in practice sessions on Friday with cars passing and given the impossibility of running on the Ardennes track, testing was postponed until a week later on 15 September Went. Italian Grand Prix.
At the dawn of the championship, in 1960, the German GP was canceled due to the danger of the Avus urban layout.
Earlier, in 1955, the fatal crash at Le Mans which cost over 83 lives, ended the next four appointments on the F1 calendar, which were France, Germany, Switzerland and Spain.
In 1952, the Spanish GP to be held at Pedralbes was dropped from the calendar at the last minute due to financial problems.
