Monaco Grand Prix organisers have confirmed the famous race will not take place in 2020 having been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
On Thursday, F1 postponed its three races slated for May, the Dutch, Spanish and Monaco GPs. Later that day, the Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM) confirmed the event will not take place at all in 2020. It will be the first F1 season since 1954 not to feature the race.
The confirmation came on the same day it was confirmed Monaco’s reigning monarch, Prince Albert II, had tested positive for the coronavirus.
The ACM statement said: “The current situation concerning the worldwide pandemic and its unknown path of evolution, the lack of understanding as to the impact on the FIA F1 World Championship 2020, the uncertainty with regards to the participation of the teams, the consequences with regards to the different measures of confinement as taken by various governments worldwide, the multi-border restrictions for accessing the Principality of Monaco, the pressure on all implicated businesses, their dedicated staff who are unable to undertake the necessary installations, the availability of the indespensible workforce and volunteers (more than 1500) required for the success of the event means that the situation is no longer tenable.”
The iconic street race requires weeks of preparation, a process which had already started as early as last week.