The news came as no surprise: the Canadian Formula One Grand Prix, which was set for June in Montreal, has officially been postponed, race organizers announced Tuesday.
Testing, qualifying and the race itself were scheduled to take place from June 12 to 14. Until the inevitable decision came down to postpone, the Montreal event would have been the first event on the 2020 Formula One calendar since all earlier races on the calendar have already been called off .
"This postponement was not a decision that was taken lightly or easily. Over the past month, we have been in constant communication with Formula 1 and representatives from the city of Montreal, Tourism Montreal and both provincial and federal governments. We have heard the directives issued by public health officials and as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic are following the expert guidance provided by the authorities.”
- Statement by race organizers
Race officials have not announced a new date, but are asking people to keep their tickets. They will be informed of their options later.
"We will welcome you with open arms at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve as soon as it is safe to do so," said François Dumontier, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix.
Up until now, organizers of the Montreal Grand Prix have been maintaining a wait-and-see attitude regarding the fate of the 2020 event, even as several other major Montreal events were getting either cancelled or postponed.
As the sole Canadian race on the Formula One calendar, the Montreal Grand Prix attracts tens of thousands of tourists and generates millions of dollars in economic spinoffs every summer.
As of now, the decision to present or not the Canadian Grand Prix rests no more than the situation in Quebec or in Canada. The Formula 1 series is a world championship and those in charge have to evaluate many scenarios globally to see if they will either try to save the season, or else be obliged to call it off completely.
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