DUBAI • The Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix will go ahead on March 22 without fans due to the coronavirus crisis - the first time a race will be held behind closed doors.
As of yesterday, Bahrain, hosts of the second race of the season, had 85 cases of the disease, known as Covid-19 and originating in December from China's Wuhan.
An official statement yesterday read: "Bahrain has made the decision to hold this year's (race) as a participants-only event.
"Convening a major sporting event, which is open to the public, and allows thousands of international travellers and local fans to interact in close proximity would not be the right thing to do at the present time.
"To ensure neither the sport, nor its global supporter base, is unduly impacted, the race weekend itself will go ahead as a televised event."
Bahrain is the second F1 race casualty of the virus, with the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai - originally scheduled for April 19 - already indefinitely postponed.
While former F1 commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone once mooted the idea of a "VIP grand prix" at France's Le Castellet circuit with only invited guests, this is not only an unwanted black mark for the sport, but a massive blow to the Gulf state's tourism sector.
The race weekend's activities, including concerts featuring DJs like Afrojack and Don Diablo, were also cancelled, leading organisers to apologise for the short notice.
"We know how disappointed many will be by this news... but safety has to remain our utmost priority," they added, before confirming fans who had bought tickets would receive a refund of their money.
Bahrain's biggest global sporting event reported a three-day crowd of 97,000 last year, a record for the event, with 34,000 on race day.
Although that attendance is small compared to other races, with 202,146 the average F1 three-day attendance last year, tourism is an important contributor to the country's economy, which in recent years has been in deficit and requiring bailouts from its wealthier Gulf neighbours.
Its grand prix - one of two held in the Middle East alongside the Abu Dhabi season-closer in November - also brings global exposure with millions of viewers.
The Scuderia and Red Bull-owned AlphaTauri, who are based in Faenza, Italy, will still race in Bahrain because they will be coming from Australia, which hosts the opening race in Melbourne this Sunday.
Italy has ordered a virtual lockdown across a swathe of its wealthy north, including financial capital Milan, in a drastic attempt to try to contain the rapidly growing outbreak, and the Maranello base of F1's oldest and most successful team, Ferrari, is within the affected area.
Bahrain has suspended flights to several countries over concerns over the global epidemic and has also asked people entering the country who have recently visited Italy, South Korea, Egypt and Lebanon to isolate themselves for two weeks.
Of the two Italian teams, a Bahrain circuit spokesman said: "Depending on where they flew through on the way from Melbourne, there is a process that you go through."
F1 is in talks with officials to arrange a special charter for Italians involved in the competition to avoid transit through airports in countries affected by the virus.
REUTERS
