The organiser of Formula 1’s Monaco Grand Prix says the logistics involved in holding the event meant there was no point even entertaining the notion of postponing its 2020 round.
Several 2020 grands prix have opted to postpone their rounds due to the coronavirus pandemic but the Automobile Club de Monaco has cancelled its event, which was set for May 24.
It will be the first time since 1954 that the prestigious street race has not taken place.
“It is not realistic,” Michel Boeri, President of the Automobile Club de Monaco, told the FIA’s AUTO magazine about whether a postponement was considered.
“To ask the 1500 volunteers to switch their availability from May to August, or companies, some of which are far from here, to come back and build the circuit later? It was impossible. We were stuck.
“In addition, we are not the only ones in the Principality of Monaco: there are so many events between August and October, we cannot overlap, especially when we know that it takes us 45 days to build the circuit and 25 to deconstruct.”
Boeri added that “everything was in place, the construction of the circuit had started and we had already sold more than 80 per cent of the tickets.
“Unfortunately, it became impossible to fight against an epidemic that was gaining ground, and with the FIA and Formula 1 announcing that the events of the month of May could not be held, we had no other choice.
“Such a decision was not taken lightly, and after careful consideration as to the gravity of this crisis worldwide.”
