F1 Extends China Deal Despite No 2022 Grand Prix

Formula One F1 - Hungarian Grand Prix - Hungaroring, Budapest, Hungary - August 1, 2021 Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in action. Reuters
Formula One F1 - Hungarian Grand Prix - Hungaroring, Budapest, Hungary - August 1, 2021 Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in action. Reuters
TT
20

F1 Extends China Deal Despite No 2022 Grand Prix

Formula One F1 - Hungarian Grand Prix - Hungaroring, Budapest, Hungary - August 1, 2021 Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in action. Reuters
Formula One F1 - Hungarian Grand Prix - Hungaroring, Budapest, Hungary - August 1, 2021 Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in action. Reuters

Formula 1 has extended its contract with the Chinese Grand Prix until 2025, the organization said Saturday, despite the race being dropped from its calendar for next year.

Covid-19 and China's strict travel restrictions prompted the cancellation of the Shanghai event in 2020 and this year. F1 has also not included the race on its 2022 schedule due to "ongoing pandemic conditions".

But that has not stopped it from extending its deal with the world's second-largest economy, which is a major growth market for F1.

"We are very pleased that this new agreement will ensure our fans in China have Formula 1 racing to look forward to in the coming years," F1 said in a statement.

"While we are all disappointed we could not include China on the 2022 calendar ... China will be restored to the calendar as soon as conditions allow and we look forward to being back with the fans as soon as we can," President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said.

F1 last month released a record 23-race schedule for 2022 that included several events -- such as Australia, Canada, Singapore and Japan -- that were axed this year and in 2020 due to the pandemic and subsequent health restrictions.

The Chinese GP, which has been running since 2004, will be replaced by the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola on April 24.

The 2022 season will start in Bahrain on March 20 and end back in the Gulf at Abu Dhabi on November 20.

F1 is growing in popularity in China but the world's most populous nation still lacks a home star.

But there are high hopes that hotly tipped youngster Zhou Guanyu will make the leap up from Formula 2.



Pegula Beats Swiatek on Grass to Win Bad Homburg Title in Wimbledon Tune-up

US Jessica Pegula poses with the trophy as she won against Poland's Iga Swiatek in the final match at the WTA tennis tournament in Bad Homburg, Germany, Saturday, June 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
US Jessica Pegula poses with the trophy as she won against Poland's Iga Swiatek in the final match at the WTA tennis tournament in Bad Homburg, Germany, Saturday, June 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
TT
20

Pegula Beats Swiatek on Grass to Win Bad Homburg Title in Wimbledon Tune-up

US Jessica Pegula poses with the trophy as she won against Poland's Iga Swiatek in the final match at the WTA tennis tournament in Bad Homburg, Germany, Saturday, June 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
US Jessica Pegula poses with the trophy as she won against Poland's Iga Swiatek in the final match at the WTA tennis tournament in Bad Homburg, Germany, Saturday, June 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Top-seeded Jessica Pegula beat five-time major champion Iga Swiatek 6-4, 7-5 on Saturday to win the grass-court Bad Homburg Open, extending Swiatek’s year-long title drought.

Pegula clinched her third title of 2025 — with the others in Austin, Texas, and Charleston, South Carolina — and it was the ninth title of the 31-year-old American's career, The Associated Press reported.

Swiatek was seeded fourth at the WTA 500 tournament in Germany, where the 24-year-old Pole sought her first trophy since the 2024 French Open and a 23rd overall.

In their 11th career meeting, but first on grass, Pegula won for the fifth time overall. Pegula beat Swiatek in the quarterfinals at last year’s US Open, where she finished the runner-up.

Although Swiatek hit nine aces in Saturday's final, she also dropped her serve twice. Pegula saved the only break point she faced and won a higher percentage of points on first and second serve.

The former No.1-ranked Swiatek has won four French Open titles and one US Open, but has never been beyond the quarterfinals at Wimbledon.

Pegula has also never been past the last eight at Wimbledon, where plays starts on Monday in London.