24 Hours of Le Mans delayed until September due to coronavirus
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is officially postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The race was originally set to be held June 13-14. A statement from the FIA confirms the news, just days after the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) race organizers said an announcement would be made on April 15 this year. That was a quick turnaround. The FIA cites the coronavirus and the current restrictions in France and around the world for the decision to delay.
There is a new date already, though. Instead of running in June, the race will take place September 19-20. This news isn’t a huge surprise, as racing series all across the world have canceled and postponed events as a result of the coronavirus. NASCAR, Formula 1, IndyCar, Formula E and more have all been affected.
Pierre Fillon, president of the ACO, issued a statement on the postponement of the famous 24-hour race:
“Postponing the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2020, originally scheduled for 13/14th June, is the appropriate solution in face of the exceptional health circumstances that we are all going through today. It goes without saying that we will make every effort to ensure the safety and quality of our events.
“First of all, I want to ask everyone to take no risk for themselves, their families and others. Today it is a question of stopping the spread of this virus. I would also like to spare warm thoughts for all the medical personnel working to protect our health.
“We are more than ever working as one team together with our competitors, partners, fans, media, medical services, organisation teams and marshals.”
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world’s oldest active endurance race, with the first race being held in 1923. World War II managed to stop the race from being held decades ago, but in 2020, it’s the coronavirus. Now, both it, the Indy 500 and Formula 1’s Monaco Grand Prix are all at risk this year.
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