The Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix will be held from March 20 to 22 in "the sole presence of the participants" and without audience, "given the continuing spread of the new coronavirus around the world," local organizers announced on Sunday. .
"Organizing a major sporting event, open to the public and allowing thousands of international travelers and local supporters to interact in close proximity would not be the right thing to do at the moment," justified the Bahrain International Circuit in a statement.
83 cases in Bahrain
The move comes at a time when Gulf countries are taking significant restraint measures against the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic after recording more than 200 cases, including 83 in Bahrain, the vast majority of whom have returned from pilgrimages to Iran , one of the most important centers of the disease after China. "So that neither the sport nor its global fan base is unduly affected, the race weekend will continue to be broadcast on television," said the organizers.
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) announced Friday the creation of a crisis cell on the new coronavirus after several motorsport events have already been canceled or postponed due to the epidemic.
The Bahrain Grand Prix is the second of the F1 season to start on March 15 with that of Australia, which has not announced any specific measures on the organization of the competition. The Chinese Formula 1 Grand Prix in Shanghai, scheduled for April 19, has been postponed indefinitely.
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