Monaco Grand Prix cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic

For the first time since 1954, the Formula One race will not take place in Monaco in May this year after Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM) announced the cancellation of the race in the wake of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

Earlier, the F1 had announced that the Monaco Grand Prix--which was scheduled to take place on May 24--will be postponed along with the Dutch and Spanish Grands Prix.

However, the ACM clarified that they have decided to cancel the race 'with great sadness'.

Reflecting on the development,the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) said, "The current situation concerning the worldwide pandemic and its unknown path of evolution, the lack of understanding as to the impact on the FIA F1 World Championship 2020, the uncertainty with regards to the participation of the teams, the consequences with regards to the differing measures of confinement as taken by various governments worldwide, the multi-border restrictions for accessing the Principality of Monaco, the pressure on all implicated businesses, their dedicated staff who are unable to undertake the necessary installations, the availability of the indispensable workforce and volunteers (more than 1500) required for the success of the event means that the situation is no longer tenable.”

The ACO further clarified that under no circumstances it is possible to reschedule these events later in the year, the F1 official website reported.

The Monaco Grand Prix began in 1929 and it has been held without fail since 1955. Meanwhile, the Historic Monaco Grand Prix, which takes place before the F1 race, has also been cancelled.

The virus outbreak, which was first reported in December 2019 from Wuhan city of China, has so far claimed the lives of more than 10,000 people and has affected more than 2,40,000 persons globally. Due to coronavirus, many sports tournaments have been cancelled, while some of them are postponed.