Mexican Formula 1 Grand Prix organizers said that next month’s race in Mexico City "will go ahead as planned despite the capital being hit by its deadliest earthquake in three decades," according to Alan Baldwin of REUTERS. Mexican Grand Prix Marketing Dir Rodrigo Sanchez said that the Hermanos Rodríguez circuit in the southeast of the city "was not damaged." He said, "It's been inspected twice already from the track surface and also the buildings, and it's OK. We'll continue doing the assessments as we go but so far there's really no concern (about the facilities). We'll have a race." The grand prix, the 18th round of the 20-race season, is scheduled for Oct. 29 on the weekend before Mexico’s annual "Dia de Muertos" (Day of the dead) holidays. Sanchez said that the "immediate focus was on helping relief efforts" and mobilizing int'l support. He said, "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" (REUTERS, 9/21). MOTORSPORT's Luis Ramírez reported a circuit spokesperson said, "There is no damage to the circuit -- it was examined completely. We released all our personnel from work so they can spend some time with their families, but the moment everybody is back we will continue with the setup of the circuit for the Grand Prix." The circuit’s facilities "are not being used as shelter for those affected in the earthquake because the city already has a disaster plan in place for such eventualities" (MOTORSPORT, 9/20).
