Skip to main content
U.K. Edition
Friday, 19 April 2024

Spectators barred from Bahrain F1 Grand Prix due to coronavirus

Duration: 01:14s 0 shares 2 views

Spectators barred from Bahrain F1 Grand Prix due to coronavirus
Spectators barred from Bahrain F1 Grand Prix due to coronavirus

The Bahrain Grand Prix is the latest sports event to be hit by the fight to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

SHOWS: SAKHIR, BAHRAIN (FILE 2010) (BAHRAIN INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT HANDOUT - ACCESS ALL) 1.

VARIOUS AERIAL VIEWS OF THE BAHRAIN INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT SAKHIR, BAHRAIN (FILE FEBRUARY 2016) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 2.

VARIOUS VIEWS OF CIRCUIT SAKHIR, BAHRAIN (FILE MARCH 2019) (REUTERS PICTURES - ACCESS ALL) (MUTE) 4.

STILL - LEWIS HAMILTON BEHIND THE FERRARI OF CHARLES LECLERC AND MERCEDES TEAM MATE VALTTERI BOTTAS DURING THE BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX 5.

STILL - HAMILTON IN HIS MERCEDES ON THE WAY TO WINNING 6.

STILL - HAMILTON RECEIVING THE TROPHY FROM CROWN PRINCE OF BAHRAIN SALMAN BIN HAMAD BIN ISA AL KHALIFA 7.

STILL - HAMILTON WITH THE TROPHY STORY: The Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix will go ahead this month without spectators due to the coronavirus crisis, a blow to the Gulf's Arab states important tourism sector.

Bahrain, which is hosting the second round of the Formula One season on March 22, has reported 83 cases of the virus, mostly linked to people who had travelled to Iran.

Concerts featuring DJ's Afrojack and Don Diablo over the race weekend have been cancelled.

Bahrain has suspended flights to some destinations over concerns of the rapidly spreading virus.

It has also asked people entering the country who have recently visited Italy, South Korea, Egypt and Lebanon to isolate themselves for two weeks.

The Grand Prix, Bahrain's biggest global sporting event, reported a record three-day crowd of 97,000 in 2019, with 34,000 on the Sunday.

Concerns over rapid spread of the coronavirus, which has killed 145 people and infected 5,823 others in Iran, has led to a raft of major events including concerts being cancelled in the Gulf region.

The Bahrain Grand Prix is one of two Formula One races held in the Gulf, with Abu Dhabi hosting the closing race in November.

The opening race of the season, the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, is scheduled to be held on March 15.

You might like

Related news coverage

Advertisement