Rally Italia Sardegna will be postponed as the organisers have requested FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) for a new date due to COVID-19 pandemic.
The coronavirus has ripped apart Italy as it has recorded the maximum deaths so far, even beating the original epicenter in China. Not just motor racing but everything has come to a standstill as even Olympics has been officially deferred to the summer of 2021.
Amid this, the organisers of Rally Italia Sardegna has confirmed the decision to postpone the WRC event slated to take place on June 4-7. They have requested the world body for a new date, where other rallies are set to be affected as well due to pandemic.
WRC already confirmed that Rally Argentina has been postponed, while Rally Mexico was shortened after the world situation started to change during the event. With no Rally Chile as well, the next event is supposed to be Rally Portugal on May 21-24.
Rally Italia Sardegna releases a statement about a new date request to WRC:
“In these days, work continues to develop the best solutions to face and solve the serious problems that the bacteriological emergency COVIC-19 has created, also in the field of sports car racing. The President of the Automobile Club d’Italia, Angelo Sticchi Damiani, has done a recap of the situation in particular with regard to the Rally Italia Sardegna 2020.
“It is now evident that the situation of the Pandemic unleashed by the Corona Virus, with its different development methods from country to country, requires a complete review of the calendar of the major international motor series, including the WRC.
“In this sense – continues Angelo Sticchi Damiani – Automobile Club d’Italia, as the Federation of Italian motor racing and as Rally Italia Sardegna Organizer, has made itself available, with the FIA and with the WRC Promoter, to study a possible new date for the Italian event of the World Rally Championship.
“This, in order to allow the creation of a new calendar that, on the one hand, allows a smooth running of the world championship series and, on the other, safeguards races of great prestige and great historical importance, such as the Rally Italia Sardegna.”
UPDATE: Following the announcement from Rally Italia Sardegna, the FIA confirmed the postponed of both Rally Portugal and also the Italian WRC event. ACP president Carlos Barbosa said: “We wish to thank all our supporters and partners for their understanding and look forward to welcoming them in Matosinhos at a later stage this year.”
Additionally, Oliver Ciesla stated: “All parties will work to identify potential alternative dates for the postponed rallies later in the season should the COVID-19 situation improve, taking into consideration championship logistics, the ability of competitors to travel again and the ability of the country in question to prepare and host the WRC at such a time.”
Here’s how WRC Rally Mexico happened
Here’s the details of postponement of WRC Rally Argentina
