French F1 Grand Prix Cancelled Due To Coronavirus Pandemic

The French Grand Prix scheduled for June 28 was cancelled on Monday due to the coronavirus pandemic, organisers announced. "Given the evolution of the situation linked to the spread of the Covid-19 virus, the French Grand Prix takes note of the decisions announced by the French state, making it impossible to maintain our event," the race's managing director Eric Boullier said. The race at Le Castellet becomes the 10th leg of the decimated 2020 championship to be either scrapped (Australia, Monaco, France) or postponed (Bahrain, China, Vietnam, Netherlands, Spain, Azerbaijan, Canada).

France joins nine other races in the slashed 2020 championship to be either cancelled (Australia, Monaco) or postponed (Bahrain, China, Vietnam, Netherlands, Spain, Azerbaijan, Canada).

The fate of the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps on August 30 remains uncertain, with mass gatherings banned in the country until the following day.

Organisers of the race at Le Castellet were forced to act after President Emmanuel Macron's announcement last week that the lockdown in France will be extended until May 11 and public gatherings banned until mid-July.

Ruling out holding the race behind closed doors, Boullier said: "Le Castellet are already turning towards the summer of 2021".

Formula One boss Chase Carey on Monday targeted the coronavirus-hit season starting in Austria on July 5 after the French Grand Prix was cancelled and fans barred from the British race at Silverstone.

After the opening Australian Grand Prix was cancelled the traditional summer workshop shutdown was brought forward to April/March to free up the August break to help complete the truncated season.

Both Silverstone and Austria's Spielberg circuit have floated the notion of staging back-to-back races.

With races cancelled and others due to be staged behind closed doors, the glamorous global sport has moved to help some of the less well-heeled teams on the grid absorb the financial hit.