Plans for a Danish Grand Prix have been put on hold by the Danish government because it “is not a priority”.
Denmark had been investigating whether hosting a race in the country would be a viable option, with several cities including the capital Copenhagen up for consideration.
Danish politician Helge Sander had been working with Saxo Bank co-founder Lars Seier Christensen on plans for a street circuit, which received provisional approval from Formula 1 bosses, before the local mayor withdrew support.
Alternative locations were identified with Sander submitting a feasibility study to the government.
“The Formula 1 organisation mandated me to explore [alternative] possibilities, and I have been in contact with a number of cities. Two of them – Aalborg and Roskilde – were realistic, and there was both municipal support and specific interest from private investors. But such a large project also requires government support,” Sander told BT.
However Business Minister Simon Kollerup issued a statement rejecting the proposal, but didn’t rule it out completely.
“This is a project that is both complex and risky and will require broad support,” he said. “This also showed the course and the previous considerations about F1 in Copenhagen.
“The project is not a priority for the government right now, but I recognise the green steps that the Formula 1 field is taking and I would like to hear more about this development further down the road.”
Sander described the decision “a big disappointment”, and believes they may miss their chance to join the calendar given the interest from other countries, with both The Netherlands and Vietnam joining this season, whilst Miami is expected to join in 2021.
“These years there are a number of countries struggling to get onto the calendar, and I know from my meetings with the Formula 1 organisation that they would very much like to race in Denmark” he added.
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