Rio will host F1 from 2020
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro surprised everyone by announcing that the Brazilian Grand Prix would be moved to Rio de Janeiro in 2020, on a circuit that has yet to be built.
Often nicknamed the Donald Trump of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro uses the favorite social network of his American counterpart, namely Twitter. He declared that F1 would indeed remain in Brazil but on a brand new circuit: « After our victory in the elections, Formula 1, which was going to leave Brazil, has decided not only to stay but also to build a new circuit in Rio de Janeiro, which will bear the name of our idol Ayrton Senna. With this, thousands of jobs will be created, benefiting the economy and the population of the state. »
He subsequently clarified that this investment would be 100% private: It is important to emphasize that the investment will be entirely private, with no cost to public coffers. Good afternoon everyone!
If the statements are voluntarist, one might doubt the feasibility of such a transfer in such a short time, while the circuit must use some of the facilities inherited from the 2016 Olympic Games. However, the selected location, in the Deodoro district, is in the heart of one of the city’s favelas, which could pose security problems. However, this might not be a distinguishing factor compared to São Paulo, which faces the same situation. This has led to significant problems in past editions.
Our Brazilian colleague Julianne Cerasoli mainly emphasized that Sao Paulo has a valid contract for the next season, as confirmed by the organizers: « There is currently a contract for holding the Brazilian F1 Grand Prix in Sao Paulo until 2020. And both parties (F1 and the city hall) continue to honor their commitments. »
They also do not fail to point out that since the Rio de Janeiro circuit has not yet been built, it is not yet homologated by the FIA to meet the necessary safety criteria: « As for the circuit, Interlagos is the only Level 1 circuit in South America. »
We will therefore have to wait for the first publication of the provisional calendar by the FIA to see if its bold statements will quickly translate into action.
With the participation of www.racingbusiness.fr
