Coronavirus: Azerbaijan Grand Prix the latest F1 race postponed due to global crisis

First eight races of the 2020 season have now been postponed or cancelled

Formula One's Azerbaijan Grand Prix in June has become the latest casualty of a season that has yet to get started due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The race in Baku was originally scheduled for 7 June as the eighth round of the championship but all the earlier races, including the showcase Monaco Grand Prix, have been cancelled or called off.

Race organisers confirmed on Monday that the Baku round has joined the growing list of races being postponed or cancelled, with a statement adding that they hope to reschedule the Grand Prix "later in 2020".

An F1 statement read: “Baku City Circuit (BCC) has today taken the decision to postpone the Formula One Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2020 due to take place on 5-7 June.

“The postponement was agreed upon after extensive discussions with Formula One as well as the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and the Government of the Azerbaijan Republic. This comes as a direct result of the ongoing global Covid-19 pandemic and has been based entirely on the expert guidance provided to us by the relevant authorities.

“BCC shares its fans’ disappointment at not being able to experience the pinnacle of motorsport race through the streets of Baku this June. To that end, we will continue to work closely with Formula One, the FIA and the Government of the Azerbaijan Republic to monitor the situation with a view to announcing a new race date later in the 2020 season.”

Preparation of the street circuit, which requires extensive safety fencing and barriers as well as the sealing of drain covers and asphalting, would have had to have started in the coming weeks.

The next race scheduled after Azerbaijan is the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal on 14 June, with France following on 28 June but both races must also be considered uncertain as the virus spreads globally.

France currently has stringent restrictions on people's movements while Canada has closed its borders to all but essential travel.

Formula One has cancelled its usual August shutdown, bringing it forward and extending it to three weeks in March and April in the hope of rescheduling races from earlier in the season.

Postponement of the race leaves Baku without a major sporting event organised this year. The city had been due to host four games including a quarter-final of the Euro 2020 championship but that has now been postponed to next year.

The street circuit has long, fast straights and a twisting stretch around the old town, with some 18,000 grandstand seats plus another 2,000 hospitality and VIP. A further 10-15,000 general admission tickets are sold.

Reuters