FIA has officially canceled the March Sanya Formula E race due to the ongoing coronavirus epidemic in China but will look at an alternative date.
Earlier in the week, the FIA released the latest information where they said they were monitoring the situation and would take the required step. Two days post that, the governing body has decided to cancel the Formula E race in Sanya, China.
Formula E becomes the latest event to be canceled/postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus epidemic, which has been declared as an international emergency by World Health Organisation. The ePrix was scheduled to take place on March 21.
The statement from Formula E, though, adds that they are also looking at alternative date to stage the ePrix if the situation improves. With no Sanya event in March, the series will move from Morocco on February 29 to Rome on April 4.
“In view of the continued spread of coronavirus and after close consultation with the relevant departments of Hainan Province and Sanya Municipal Government, Formula E – together with the FIA, the Federation of Automobile and Motorcycle Sports of People’s Republic of China (CAMF), and regional partner Enova Holdings – have jointly decided not to race in Sanya on the scheduled date of March 21, 2020.
“Given the current growing health concerns and with the World Health Organisation declaring the coronavirus an international emergency, Formula E has taken the necessary measures to ensure the health and safety of its travelling staff, championship participants and spectators, which remains of paramount importance.
“We are working closely with our regional partner and the local authorities in Hainan Province and Sanya Municipal Government, to continue monitoring the situation as it develops. All parties will take the appropriate amount of time to study the viability of potential alternative dates should the situation improve,” said the statement.
While FIA has canceled the Formula E race, all eyes will be on F1, where they race in Shanghai on April 17-19. It looks more likely that it will see the same fate as well which may leave a bigger gap on its calendar.
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