The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, so the start of the Formula One season championship would have to wait until at least mid-June.
The first eight races of the 2020 season have been postponed or canceled due to the virus.
The Baku street circuit race was scheduled for June 7, but was scrapped after consultations between the International Automobile Federation and the local government.
“This is a direct result of the global COVID-19 pandemic and is entirely due to expert guidance provided by the competent authorities,” the organizers said in a statement.
They added that a new date for the race will be announced later in the season.
Azerbaijan has mounted F1 races since 2017.
The Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, the first of the season, was canceled hours before its start on March 13.
Almost immediately, the Bahrain Grand Prix, which was to be raced the following week without an audience, and the first edition of the Vietnam GP, on April 5, were postponed. The Chinese GP in Shanghai on April 19 had been postponed to February.
The week, the iconic Monaco GP stood out among three other races discarded. While the races in Holland and Spain were postponed, the competition in Monaco was canceled for 2020.
The next race with Azerbaijan on the calendar is Canada’s on June 14.
In addition, the F1 mid-season hiatus went from August to March and April, extending from 14 to 21 consecutive days, in order to facilitate a rescheduling.
The season should culminate with the Abu Dhabi GP on November 29, but it could be extended to allow for some postponed races.
A total of eight races with 12 cars will need to be completed for the championship to be valid, the FIA said. Ap