New Rio Mayor Cancels F1 Racetrack Project in Deodoro

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – On Tuesday, January 5th, Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes said that the construction of the Deodoro Racetrack in the West Zone will not go ahead given the high environmental impact it would cause. In an interview to BandNews, Paes said that the City Hall will look into other locations to conduct the project.

The new administration is in favor of a new racetrack, but one that is located in other areas of Rio, which will not have such a high environmental impact. According to Paes, there are other options, among them an area in Guaratiba, in the West Zone.

The original project, which includes the felling of a large part of Camboatá Forest in Deodoro, had its environmental license contested by INEA (State Environmental Institute) in late October. However, the Institute’s Prosecutor’s Office requested the technicians to conduct further studies to assess the impacts.

The Camboatá Forest is the last great flat area of Atlantic Forest in the city, comprising some 200,000 trees, according to a study conducted by technicians from the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden.