Can we just say "was" instead of "took place" or "was held"?

In its early years the Formula One competition _________ mainly in Europe, but races now take place on almost every continent.

Thank you in advance! :)

Question

Can we just say "was" instead of "took place" or "was held"?

In its early years the Formula One competition _________ mainly in Europe, but races now take place on almost every continent.

Thank you in advance! :)

Answer

Hello Sofiyaaa,
Interesting question. The simple answer is yes; "was" would fit well too. However, we use "hold a competition" as a collocation,  meaning these words are often found together in sentences. The same principle applies to "a competition takes place" at a given place or time. This sounds more complete and formal. ☺️✌️