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IndyCar China Race Ruled Out For 2016
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Plans for an exhibition IndyCar street race in Beijing have been scrapped for this year.
"We are not going to be racing in China despite the fact there was strong interest there," IndyCar president Mark Milessaid. "Here we are on June 1 and all the arrangements aren't in place, so we don't feel comfortable adding an event to the calendar when we're not confident it can go on without a hitch."
Miles added that IndyCar still hopes to have points-paying international races early in the schedule. The series has not raced internationally since Brazil fell off the calendar after 2013.
"Our focus remains on finding up to two international races that we could run between the Super Bowl and St. Pete that would count in the championship if we can find the right arrangements," he said.
In early May, Miles said in a statement that IndyCar had participated in discussions regarding a non-championship event in the Fengtai District of Beijing that would occur in October. But he cautioned that "a number of important issues must be resolved before such an event can be added to the schedule.
"IndyCar is pleased with the amount of interest in China and the substantial effort that has been made to try and make this proposed event a reality," the statement continued.
The series had planned to race in the coastal city of Qingdao in August of 2012, only for the event to be cancelled two months out due to problems with the promoters. China emerged as a candidate in early March.
Miles said in February that the series was hoping to run a non-points overseas race immediately after the season finale at Sonoma, with Beijing emerging as the leading candidate in early March.
"We are not going to be racing in China despite the fact there was strong interest there," IndyCar president Mark Milessaid. "Here we are on June 1 and all the arrangements aren't in place, so we don't feel comfortable adding an event to the calendar when we're not confident it can go on without a hitch."
Miles added that IndyCar still hopes to have points-paying international races early in the schedule. The series has not raced internationally since Brazil fell off the calendar after 2013.
"Our focus remains on finding up to two international races that we could run between the Super Bowl and St. Pete that would count in the championship if we can find the right arrangements," he said.
In early May, Miles said in a statement that IndyCar had participated in discussions regarding a non-championship event in the Fengtai District of Beijing that would occur in October. But he cautioned that "a number of important issues must be resolved before such an event can be added to the schedule.
"IndyCar is pleased with the amount of interest in China and the substantial effort that has been made to try and make this proposed event a reality," the statement continued.
The series had planned to race in the coastal city of Qingdao in August of 2012, only for the event to be cancelled two months out due to problems with the promoters. China emerged as a candidate in early March.
Miles said in February that the series was hoping to run a non-points overseas race immediately after the season finale at Sonoma, with Beijing emerging as the leading candidate in early March.
