F1 Looking Through The Covid Glass

This is the Statt Mann Baby. Time to Scatt a little bit.

Formula One this week said it wasn’t bringing races to the Americas this season. That means events in Canada, the United States, Mexico and Brazil were done for this pandemic year.

In fact, the F1 paddock expressed some concern about coming to America and going to Brazil, two countries that don’t have a handle on the Covid-19 pandemic.

Letters went out this week triggering a rebuttal from the promoter in Brazil. He said the contract has a force majeure provision but the pandemic doesn’t meet that standard.

In fact, this might be an ongoing problem. And the issue might be F1’s new owners Liberty Media. It wants to race in Rio. The current contract puts the race in Sao Paulo. But that contract runs out this year and a new deal isn’t on the table.

Making matters worse Brazil hasn’t paid any fees since 2017, a going away present from Bernie Ecclestone.

If the pandemic isn’t something that’s out of everyone’s control, I don’t know what is. But the bigger issue might be the money. Always follow the money.
Peace.