Johannesburg – Cape Town will, in all probability, lose the hosting rights of the Formula E E-Prix next year, a prominent motorsport news site revealed on Tuesday.
The race, scheduled for February 2022, is likely to be removed from the calendar by the FIA World Motorsport Council next week, and the move is believed to be a result of the ongoing impact of Covid-19 on the country.
The report suggests that construction of the track around Cape Town will not be completed by the scheduled date. Although a set-back, the city is expected to defer the race until 2023 as it has a five-year contract to host the event.
“Naturally, as has been experienced everywhere in the world, Covid has had a deep impact on planning,” said Iain Banner, chairman of Cape Town E-Prix, in the report.
“The FIA council will announce the season eight (2022) calendar after its meeting on October 15. Our position is simple. We as promoters and the City of Cape Town have signed a five-plus-five-year contract. I expect we will be racing beyond that, too.
“So, whether it’s 2022 or 2023 is not a big issue. In fact, it’s a short-term one.”
South Africa has also recently been generating interest from Formula One, with that sport's CEO, Stefano Domenicali, hinting that the country could host a Grand Prix as soon as next year, if speculation is to be believed.
Domenicali already revealed earlier this week that there will be 23-races in next year’s calendar and that the full schedule will be released later this month. If there is to be a return of the South African GP though, it is more likely to be from 2023 onwards.
Kyalami is believed to be the preferred track if the event does take place, but the venue, much like the Cape Town E-Prix, might not be able to fully prepare for a 2022 race.
IOL Sport