F1: Zhou Guanyu still hopeful of Chinese Grand Prix despite Covid restrictions (Update)

China’s government eased some pandemic measures Friday — including reducing quarantine periods for travelers and close contacts of people infected with COVID-19 and ending penalties on airlines for bringing virus cases into the country.

Among the adjustments, quarantine periods for travelers into China and close contacts are being cut by two days.

• Travelers would be required to isolate for five days in a hotel or specialist government facility and a further three days at their place of residence, with similar measures for close contacts, per a statement from Beijing’s National Health Commission Friday.

Zhou Guanyu is still hoping that he gets the chance to race in a Grand Prix in China next season, despite the continued strict approach to Covid-19.

The Alfa Romeo driver has made no secret of his desire to race in front of his home fans, but Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali has raised the possibility it might not happen.

The Chinese Grand Prix is scheduled for April 16, the fourth stop in next year’s mammoth 24-race season, and would be returning to the mainland for the first time since 2019.

During a third-quarter earnings call with analysts, Domenicali said the race remained in doubt because of tighter curbs in Chinese cities to prevent further transmission of Covid-19.

“Although the Covid situation in China remains an issue and it is not certain we will race there in 2023, we continue to monitor the situation,” he said.

But as he prepared for the penultimate race of his rookie season at the Brazilian Grand Prix, Zhou said he expected the event to go ahead.

“I think April we’ll have to see [the Covid situation]. There is still a good chance that it is happening,” he told reporters in Sao Paulo.

“There is a question mark if it is happening in April or later in the year, we’ll have to see,” Zhou said.