Mexican Grand Prix will go ahead as planned despite earthquake

Next month’s Mexican Grand Prix will go ahead as planned, organisers say, despite the earthquake that hit the capital Mexico City on Tuesday.

Rodrigo Sanchez, marketing head of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodrigues, said the track was not damaged.

Sanchez said: “It’s been inspected twice already from the track surface and also the buildings, and it’s OK.

“We’ll continue doing assessments as we go but so far there’s really no concern (about facilities). We’ll have a race.”

The grand prix is scheduled for 27-29 October and is the third-last event of the 20-race 2017 season.

Sanchez said the immediate focus was on helping relief efforts following the earthquake, which has so far killed 230 people across the capital and surrounding states. Fifty-two buildings collapsed in Mexico City alone.

“We’re trying to put out there all the information relevant to how people can help. Right now the concern is really getting everything back to moving from the city perspective and supporting any way we can,” he said.

“If things stay the same, we’ll just keep working on what we’re doing. The track is fine so we just need to re-focus and get this show done.”