Vietnam Grand Prix Corporation has announced to postpone the Formula 1 race which is due to take place in the country for the first time on April 3- 5.
The decision is made after discussions the Hanoi People’s Committee, the Government of Vietnam, the Automobile Association of Vietnam and the promoter, Vietnam Grand Prix Corporation.
The news follows the cancellation of this week’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix and the previous postponement of the Chinese Grand Prix, which was due to be held April 17-19.
The cancellations are due to the ongoing and fluid nature of the COVID-19 situation which World Health Organization yesterday characterized as a global pandemic.
The event promoters said these decisions were taken in order to ensure the health and safety of the travelling staff, championship participants and fans, which remains our primary concern.
Formula 1 and the FIA continue to work closely with the race promoters in Bahrain and Vietnam and the local health authorities to monitor the situation and take the appropriate amount of time to study the viability of potential alternative dates for each Grand Prix later in the year should the situation improve.
As a result, Formula 1 and the FIA expect to begin the championship in Europe at the end of May but given the sharp increase in COVID-19 cases in Europe in recent days, this will be regularly reviewed.
Formula 1 chairman and CEO, Chase Carey, said: “The global situation regarding COVID-19 is fluid and very difficult to predict and its right we take time to assess the situation and make the right decisions."
FIA President, Jean Todt, said: “Protecting people first. Together with Formula 1, the Bahrain Motor Federation, the Vietnamese Motorsports Association, and the local promoters, postponing both the Bahrain and Vietnam Grands Prix, as with the Australian Grand Prix, was the only possible decision given all of the information currently available to us.”
