ACO Press Release re Corona Virus

[AndrewMelley]

The ACO have just realesed the following statement regading the Corona Virus.

Le Mans, 05 March 2020

Coronavirus Update

We are monitoring the Coronavirus situation closely.

For the moment, we have not been notified of any requirement to postpone or cancel any of our sporting events scheduled in the coming weeks. Our event calendar remains unchanged.

We are confident that the 24 Hours of Le Mans will go ahead as planned on 13-14 June.

Please note that our priority is to maintain our published schedule for 2020.
• However, should it be necessary to do so, we will reschedule events later in the year.
• In the event of a cancellation, tickets will be refunded.

[LM240]

The possibility of a Le Mans not in June!! My head can’t compute :-)

[gt6]

Seems that the ACO are about as unsure what to do about covid19 as they are with the hypercar class. Expect panic from ACO soon

[Ramona]

What exactly would you expect the ACO to do, given the information available to them at this point?

They are caught between a rock and a hard place (as are the organisers of every large scale event, motoring or otherwise) - it's simply not possible, at this point, to say whether the event will go ahead as planned or not. And if it doesn't, it's again impossible to say right now whether it will be cancelled or just postponed.

[FredericRobinson]

If it gets postponed we could end up with this season finishing after the next one has started

[LawrieC]

LM240 said:

The possibility of a Le Mans not in June!! My head can’t compute :-)

It happened in 1968, and seemed to work, just more darkness

[wsn03]

Anyone know by what date they have to confirm Spa?

[lowdrag]

The ACO have also stated that they are not in control of events and are, as one would expect, guided by the government and the medical services. But, as I have posted elsewhere, the government has stated that the spread of the disease is now out of control and it is here at Le Mans. A mother and child are in hospital and 93 people confined to quarters, all from a school where a pupil has caught it.

[Great Dane]

First driver has pulled out of Sebring citing the virus... DHH not starting - in press release he thinks the races will not take place

[slartibartfast]

Sebring WEC round cancelled after US imposes Europe travel ban

https://www.autosport.com/wec/news/148627/sebring-...

https://www.fiawec.com/en/news/cancellation-of-the...

Edited by slartibartfast on Thursday 12th March 07:03

[generationx]

Sebring has been cancelled

https://www.fiawec.com/en/news/cancellation-of-the...

<<edit>> oops sorry Slarti, didn't see your post in time

Edited by generationx on Thursday 12th March 07:33

[slartibartfast]

generationx said:

oops sorry Slarti, didn't see your post in time

no problem pal

[Tyre Smoke]

FredericRobinson said:

If it gets postponed we could end up with this season finishing after the next one has started

Imagine. Racing at Silverstone to the new regs in September, closely followed by racing to the old regs at Le Mans in September...

[lowdrag]

Tyre Smoke said:

Imagine. Racing at Silverstone to the new regs in September, closely followed by racing to the old regs at Le Mans in September...

Good point.

[Ramona]

McLaren have withdrawn from the Australian Grand Prix and there are now questions about whether the race will actually go ahead - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/51849163

UPDATE: The Australian GP has now been postponed - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/51849163

Edited by Ramona on Thursday 12th March 15:47

[FredericRobinson]

The whole of Sebring has now gone for a Burton

[Tyre Smoke]

Ramona said:

McLaren have withdrawn from the Australian Grand Prix and there are now questions about whether the race will actually go ahead - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/51849163

UPDATE: The Australian GP has now been postponed - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/51849163

Edited by Ramona on Thursday 12th March 15:47

That hasn't been officially announced. That's the BBC expecting an official announcement.

[Ramona]

Tyre Smoke said:

That hasn't been officially announced. That's the BBC expecting an official announcement.

OK, you wait for the official announcement, and I'll accept what the BBC (and Autosport) are reporting now...

UPDATE: To nobody's surprise (except, perhaps, Tyre Smoke's), the news is now official - https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.formula...

Edited by Ramona on Friday 13th March 00:01