Coronavirus: When will motorsport resume in 2020?

Other series have also paused races in response to coronavirus, as large public gatherings will inevitably increase the risk of transmission between hosts.

As series react to the ever-changing effect that the COVID-19 virus will inevitably have over the motorsport world, this story will be updated with cancellations and postponements should any more be forthcoming.

When will the 2020 Formula 1 season begin?

At this stage, it is currently unknown when the definitive first race of the 2020 F1 season will be.

As the coronavirus outbreak is widely regarded to have originated in the city of Wuhan, the Chinese Grand Prix was swiftly postponed in the interests of public health.

The Australian Grand Prix was cancelled on the Friday of its race weekend, after a McLaren team member had tested positive for coronavirus. Seven further members of the F1 paddock were also tested, but their results were found to be negative.

Australian Grand Prix Commission chairman Andrew Westacott has suggested that, despite the official cancellation, the race could be rescheduled for later in the year.

The Bahrain and Vietnam Grands Prix were also postponed in the wake of the escalating coronavirus pandemic, leaving the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort as the de facto season opener.

However, it has been suggested that F1 will ditch the opening trio of European races, meaning that Zandvoort, Barcelona and Monaco face the chop should the coronavirus crisis continue to worsen.

This means that the season would open in June with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, one week before the field goes to Montreal for its Canadian round.

Confirmed postponements:

Australian Grand Prix - Albert Park - 15 March

Bahrain Grand Prix - Sakhir - 22 March

Vietnam Grand Prix - Hanoi - 5 April

Chinese Grand Prix - Shanghai - 19 April

These postponements also affect the Formula 2 and Formula 3 championships, which are on F1's support bill. Bahrain was due to be the first round for both categories, but this is now currently scheduled as Zandvoort.

Read Also:

• The phone call that sealed Australian GP's fate
• F1 can "preserve" calendar by scrapping summer break - Brawn
• The big questions F1 faces after the cancellation chaos

When will the 2020 MotoGP season begin?

Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

MotoGP promoter Dorna Sports and the FIM have arguably been the most proactive motorsport bodies during this difficult period, with constant communication flowing out of both camps as to the championship's current situation.

A week before the Qatar season opener, tightened quarantine restrictions on Italian travellers - making up a sizeable portion of the paddock - gave Dorna no choice but to scrap the Qatar race, despite its hopes to get all the personnel needed to start the race into the country on a charter flight from Nice.

As more countries reacted to the COVID-19 situation, MotoGP's second, third and fourth rounds in Thailand, America and Argentina were all postponed.

MotoGP has already found slots for these races, except Qatar, which won't appear this year owing to the Losail circuit undergoing essential track works in the coming months.

The back-end of the calendar is now incredibly congested as a result, with eight races in 10 weeks. There is a risk this could put too much strain on the paddock.

The season is now due to start on May 3 in Spain at Jerez, although this is very much subject to change, with various regions in Spain now under quarantine.

Dorna and the FIM hope to run all 19 remaining races, and is willing to run the season into January 2021 if needed, while two-race weekends and races at back-up venues are also under consideration.

While chaos reigned in F1, Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta and FIM president Jorge Viegas have both released Q&As recently updating the world on their current plans.

Updated 2020 MotoGP Calendar:

When will the World Superbike season resume?

Chaz Davies, ARUBA.IT Racing Ducati

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

World Superbike was fortunate to squeeze in its season-opener in Phillip Island shortly before the COVID-19 situation dramatically worsened in Europe, with the paddock even more affected by travel restrictions placed on Italy.

However, not long after the three Phillip Island races, won by Toprak Razgatlioglu, Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes respectively, it was announced that the second round at Qatar - which was due to take place a week after the MotoGP race - was on hold.

A revised calendar was subsequently issued that did not give the Qatar round a new date, but did feature the third round of the season at Jerez being rescheduled for October.

As of the time of writing, the season is due to resume at Assen on April 17-19.

Revised 2020 WSBK calendar:

When will the Formula E season resume?

Felipe Massa, Venturi, EQ Silver Arrow 01 Maximilian Günther, BMW I Andretti Motorsports, BMW iFE.20, Daniel Abt, Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler, Audi e-tron FE06

Photo by: Dom Romney / Motorsport Images

As it stands, the 2019/20 Formula E season has been paused for two months amid the ensuring coronavirus crisis.

The Sanya E-Prix was first to be postponed at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, followed by the Rome E-Prix after the spread intensified dramatically in northern Italy - meaning the country is on lockdown.

After Formula E's latest announcement, the race in Paris, along with calendar newcomers Seoul and Jakarta, have also been postponed until further notice. The FE season is thus theoretically set to resume in Berlin in June.

Confirmed postponements:

Sanya E-Prix - China - 21 March

Rome E-Prix - Italy - 4 April 

Paris E-Prix - France - 18 April

Seoul E-Prix - South Korea - 3 May 

Jakarta E-Prix - Indonesia - 6 June 

Read Also:

• How Formula E set an example for F1 to follow

When will the FIA World Endurance Championship season resume?

#8 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota TS050: Sébastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima, Brendon Hartley

Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images

Following the cancellation of the Sebring 1000 Miles event, the FIA World Endurance Championship has just two events left on its current calendar: the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps and the Le Mans 24 Hours.

With the Spa round pencilled in for the end of April, it may be under threat given Belgium's emergency measures to contain the coronavirus spread.

In those measures, all large gatherings must be postponed, while public places like bars, cafes and restaurants must be closed until April 3. It is unknown whether those measures will continue beyond that point.

Although the Le Mans event is not until mid-June, the ACO will be expected to make a call on whether it is postponed depending on the current health crisis' escalation.

Confirmed cancellations:

Sebring 1000 Miles - USA - 13 March 

What's happening in Supercars?

Jamie Whincup, Triple Eight Race Engineering Holden

Photo by: Dirk Klynsmith / Motorsport Images

Supercars was another category directly affected by the Australian GP cancellation, with the Albert Park circuit supposed to have hosted the second points-paying round of the season.

Unlike F1 there had even been competitive track action, Triple Eight drivers Shane van Gisbergen and Jamie Whincup securing two of the four pole positions that were to be on offer.

Read Also:

• Mixed reaction to Supercars race cancellation

The series has already vowed to make the Albert Park round up, the six-week winter break the obvious window – depending on the global picture at that point.

As it stands, there have been no formal postponements or cancellations beyond Albert Park.

That means, technically, the Symmons Plains round at Tasmania on the first weekend in April is still on. However, ever-increasing restrictions on mass gatherings are likely to leave it as a 'behind closed doors' scenario at absolute best.

There are even more doubts over the New Zealand round later in April given the 14-day quarantine measures now employed by both Australia and its neighbour across the ditch.

When will the World Rally Championship resume?

Elfyn Evans, Scott Martin, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota Yaris WRC

Photo by: Toyota Racing

The World Rally Championship has so far largely gone off without interference from the coronavirus, with its opening Monte Carlo event in January, February's Rally Sweden and this weekend's Rally Mexico coming just at the right time - though six-time WRC champion Sebastien Ogier has objected to competing in Mexico given the events unfolding around the world.

However, WRC couldn't escape the coronavirus-forced cancellations forever, as the final day of Rally Mexico was stopped to help people working in the paddock return home prior to travel restrictions.

The fifth round in Argentina originally slated for the end of April was also put on hold after the country put a temporary ban on international sporting events. All being well, the season should pick up again Portugal on 21-24 May.

Confirmed postponements:

Rally Argentina - April 30-1 May

Elsewhere in the rallying world, next month's World Rallycross season-opener in Barcelona has been postponed. It is unclear if the Portugal event, following a fortnight later will suffer the same fate.

The Titans Rallycross Europe series season is also on hold, and won't make a planned trip to Canada this year in order to free up space for postponed rounds.

What is happening in NASCAR?

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro Valvoline Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro Ally Aric Almirola, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford Mustang Smithfield Ricky Stenhouse Jr., JTG Daugherty Racing, Chevrolet Camaro Kroger

Photo by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Images

NASCAR tried desperately to continue its current season as planned by staging this weekend's Atlanta race and next weekend's Homestead-Miami event behind closed doors.

But, as the United States government finally declared COVID-19 a national emergency, these plans have been scuppered. It is unclear what will happen going forward, and it's hard to imagine the March 29 Texas race going ahead. As it stands, it currently retains its calendar slot.

Confirmed postponements:

Folds of Honor Quik Trip 500 - Atlanta Motor Speedway - 15 March

Dixie Vodka 400 - Homestead-Miami Speedway - 22 March

When will the 2020 IndyCar season begin?

Jack Harvey, Meyer Shank Racing Honda

Photo by: Phillip Abbott / Motorsport Images

The 2020 IndyCar season won't be getting underway until at least May, after the series called off its first four events in St Petersburg, Barber Motorsport Park in Alabama, Long Beach and the Circuit of the Americas.

There was hope the season-opening round this weekend in St Petersburg would get underway, after it was initially announced that it would take place behind closed doors, while track action for IndyCar would be restricted to just Saturday and Sunday.

Confirmed cancellations:

St. Petersburg, Florida - 15 March

Barber Motorsport Park, Birmingham, Alabama - 5 April

Long Beach, California - 19 April

Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas - 26 April

How will coronavirus affect other international events?

Jamie Green, Audi Sport Team Rosberg, Audi RS 5 DTM

Photo by: Alexander Trienitz

Although DTM has made no changes to its race calendar thus far, it has cancelled the pre-season test expected to take place on March 16-19 at Hockenheim.

Originally set to take place in Monza, the test was moved to Germany as Italy faced a nationwide lockdown, and would not be open to spectators. The season itself is due to begin in late April at Zolder in Belgium as things stand.

The World Touring Car Cup has cancelled its opening round at the Hungaroring, due to take place on April 24-26, as Hungarian government measures banned gatherings of more than 500 people until further notice.

In Japan, the Super Formula season opener due to take place on April 4 at Suzuka was postponed, while SUPER GT organisers are confident of staging the season opener on April 11-12 at Okayama after successfully hosting a behind-closed-doors pre-season test there.

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is on hold until at least May's Mid-Ohio round, with the Sebring 12 Hours having been rescheduled for November and the Long Beach race getting the axe along with the IndyCar event with which it shares the bill.

Elsewhere in sportscar racing, the European Le Mans Series has postponed its first two rounds at Barcelona and Monza, and the GT World Challenge Europe (formerly Blancpain GT Series) has reshuffled its calendar after its planned opener at Monza was cancelled.

Has the British Touring Car Championship been cancelled?

Tom Ingram, Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Corolla

Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images

On 13 March, the British Touring Car Championship released the following statement, stating that all rounds will go on as normal unless a change in circumstances occurs.

"Further to the government's updated advice, TOCA confirms that its forthcoming BTCC events are planned to go ahead as scheduled," the statement read.

"Our position follows the UK government's announcement yesterday that no restrictions on outdoor events are being introduced at this time.

"It also reflects the overwhelming desire of the BTCC teams, our fans and the circuits for the events to take place - unless of course a change in circumstances subsequently dictates otherwise.

"We will continue to work in close collaboration with the circuits to ensure our events are held in as safe an environment as possible, for all personnel and fans who attend."

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