F1 Races Postponed Due to COVID-19

"In view of the ongoing global spread of COVID-19 (...) all parties have made the decision to postpone both races scheduled for March 20-22 in Bahrain and April 3-5 in Vietnam," Formula One announced in a statement.

According to the note, they will continue to monitor the situation with Bahraini and Vietnamese organizers, as well as with local authorities to announce new dates later this year if the situation "improves".

Thus, it is planned for the season to start in late May in Europe, although this will also have to be reviewed due to the rapid spread of the pandemic.

The President of Formula One, Chase Carey, argued that the decision to postpone both championships was due to the "fluidity" of the situation around the coronavirus and the difficulty of predicting how it will evolve, which has made them prioritize the safety of personnel and fans.

Carey stated that the Bahrain race is an "exciting" event they are interested in returning to "as soon as possible", while hoping to bring F1 to "one of the most exciting cities in the world" in Vietnam, according to the statement.

The President of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), on the other hand, said that the postponement was the "only possible decision" given the circumstances and stated that they trust the information from the World Health Organization (WHO) in this regard.

The Bahrain International Circuit announced a week ago that the Formula One Grand Prix would be held without spectators as a preventive measure to avoid the spread of the new coronavirus, which has led to the cancellation of several events in the Persian Gulf.