The famous 24-hour race at Le Mans has been postponed from June 13-14 to September 19-20 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The organiser of the race, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), confirmed the news on Wednesday, adding to the long list of high-profile sporting events that have been postponed in recent weeks.
How the news will impact on the rest of the World Endurance Championship will be communicated in due course along with a new timetable for the rescheduled 24-hour race in September.
“Postponing the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2020, originally scheduled for 13-14th June, is the appropriate solution in face of the exceptional health circumstances that we are all going through today,” Pierre Fillon, President of the ACO, said in a statement. “It goes without saying that we will make every effort to ensure the safety and quality of our events.
“First of all, I want to ask everyone to take no risk for themselves, their families and others. Today it is a question of stopping the spread of this virus. I would also like to spare warm thoughts for all the medical personnel working to protect our health.
“We are more than ever working as one team together with our competitors, partners, fans, media, medical services, organisation teams and marshals.”
The Le Mans 24 Hours dates back to 1923 and has been held every year since 1949 following a ten-year hiatus during and after the second world war. Over the last two years the WEC calendar has been rescheduled around it to make it the final race of the season while retaining Le Mans’ traditional June date.
The 2020 race is due to be the last held under the current LMP1 regulations before new hypercar rules are introduced for 2021.