The PURE ETCR electric touring car series season schedule has experienced a last-minute change concerning the Grand Finale, scheduled for October 15-17.
The event that was originally scheduled to be held in South Korea, will be moved to France. The reason? Strong restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic will not allow the maritime transport carrying machinery and equipment to arrive on time to the Asian territory.
Because of this situation, the category decided to change the venue to France, and the first title winner of the emerging competition will be known at the Pau-Arnos electronic circuit.
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It will be the first time that PURE ETCR will be racing on French territory, a scenario where Hyundai Motorsport N drivers Jean-Karl Vernay and John Filippi will have everything in their favor as they will be at home.
The obstacles to get to Korea
Despite a considerable planning prior to the start of the campaign, all the problems caused by the coronavirus got out of hand for the organizers.
In order to reach South Korea on time for the event planned at Inje Speedium, the ship had to leave Europe before the end of August. Senior staff from event promoter Innocean Worldwide said they were prepared and doing their best to ease the registration process, but the management committee decided to cancel, as it is unclear when the quarantine requirements will be lifted or if further restrictions will be imposed.
“Unfortunately, for 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the world in many ways, including creating significant uncertainty around travel, security and logistics, especially on different continents, so it will not be possible to travel to Inje Speedium,” said Xavier Gavory, director of the PURE ETCR.
“While it is extremely regrettable that we will not be able to make our Asian debut in South Korea, I would like to thank Innocean Worldwide, the team behind the promotion of the event, for their tireless efforts in trying to make it viable for us,” he added.
Read also: PURE ETCR Cars will feature strong Electric Powertrain Units
The electric touring car series expects to be able to run the race in 2022, and is already looking at possible dates for another attempt.
What to expect in Pau-Arnos
Located 20 km west of Pau in southwestern France, an area steeped in motorsport history, the Pau-Arnos electronic circuit is one of Europe’s most advanced tracks in terms of electric technology.
A series of upgrades to the 3.030 km circuit during 2018 supplied pits with permanent electric charging stations, as part of its “EV-ready” infrastructure, since it aims to become a zero-emission facility in the near future.
The track is currently laying the groundwork for a development project around renewable energy and new mobility, and is counting on local authorities and key players in both economics and energy and environmental research for support to achieve this.
Written by I Jhonattan González
