Coronavirus (Covid-19) effect: FIA Postpones 10 Races, 24 Hours of Le Mans affected

KUALA LUMPUR: The Federation Internationale De L'Automobile (FIA), in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, has postponed at least 10 major races that were scheduled to be held this year. FIA, earlier, had scrapped the 2020 Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix that was slated to be held on 19 April. The races postponed/cancelled by FIA include the Rome E-Prix, Sanya E-Prix, the World Endurance Championship (WEC) ‘Sebring 1000 Miles’, 2020 Formula 1 Australian Gran Prix, Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix, World Touring Car Cup Race (Germany), Vietnam Grand Prix, 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, and 24 Hours of Le Mans.

FIA is closely watching the situation with its other member organisations, governments, and the World Health Organization (WHO). FIA, in coordination with local authorities, took the decision to temporarily freeze the races in highly populated cities.
FIA said that the well-being of spectators, their staff, and the entire championship workforce is their topmost priority. The organization has put in place precautionary measures that will restrict races from running under a set timeframe.

FIA is implementing a flag system, traditionally used in motorsports, to determine the different phases where the races could be rearranged. Red represents no race, yellow keep the opportunity open while green means going ahead according to plan. March and April have been marked red, while May is currently under the yellow flag. June and July have been marked green subject to the improvement of the situation. Races in Seoul, Paris, and Jakarta would no longer be held on their original dates because of the suspension.

Founder and chairman of Formula E, Alejandro Agag, said that this is the time to adopt responsible action and the decision to temporarily suspend the season was taken. Measures to freeze races, Agag informed, will be introduced over the next two months. The health and safety of the FIA staff, their families, and people of the cities where the races were to be held, are now more important than going ahead with the events. The Formula E Championship, he said, will be back once the pandemic subsides.

FIA was founded in 1904 and safety in motorsports remains its core principle.

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