Updates on the 24 Hours of Le Mans Race

The famed 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in France has been delayed until September 19, 2020, according to an official statement from the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO). This postponement is due to the rapidly evolving coronavirus pandemic, which has severely affected Europe. As a result, there have been widespread travel suspensions across inter-European borders and other strict measures implemented.

The decision to delay the race was made in consultation with the French government, along with the Fédération Internationale Automobile (FIA) and the World Endurance Championship (WEC) organizations. Initially scheduled for June 13 and 14, the race will now take place on September 19 and 20.

Consequently, this change will have downstream impacts on related racing series. The FIA WEC, European Le Mans Series, Michelin Le Mans Cup, and Ligier European Series will all revise their schedules in response to this postponement and will release updated calendars shortly. The specific schedule for the delayed 2020 Le Mans race will also be affected.

This is not the first time the race has been rescheduled. For example, the 1968 race was pushed back until late September due to the “May 68” civil unrest and strikes, which brought the French economy to a standstill. Furthermore, if the 2020 race is ultimately canceled—a step that the ACO has not yet discussed—it would not be without precedent. The 1936 race was canceled entirely due to significant general strikes in France following an election, and the race did not take place for a decade from 1939 to 1949 due to the impact of World War II.

As the delays and cancellations of motorsports events continue to accumulate, it’s important to stay informed. At this time, NASCAR has postponed all races until May 3, the NHRA until mid-April, and Indycar has suspended events through April among numerous others.