The coronavirus scare is taking a toll on spectator sport and now it hits the motorsport world. According to a statement issued by the organisers of the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix, this year the race will be held as a participants-only event. The organisers go on to state that this decision comes in a bid to balance the welfare of supporters and race goers. Given the continued spread of Covid-19 globally, convening a major sporting event, which is open to the public and allows thousands of international travelers and local fans to interact in close proximity would be a cause of concern. The race weekend therefore will go ahead in the form of a televised race.
Bahrain is already taking early actions to prevent, identify and isolate cases of individuals with Covid-19 and clearly have taken this decision keeping the larger context of safety in mind. In a statement made by the organisers, "We know how disappointed many will be by this news, especially for those planning to travel to the event, which has become a cornerstone event of the international F1 calendar, but safety has to remain our utmost priority."
While the race in Bahrain will go on as scheduled sans spectators, the Chinese Grand Prix, which was scheduled to be held between April 17-19, 2020, has been postponed due to the outbreak.
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