WEC: The 24 Hours of Le Mans postponed to September
On Wednesday, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest postponed the 24 Hours of Le Mans to September 19 and 20 due to the coronavirus epidemic. A first since 1968.

As expected, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest has made it official. The 24 Hours of Le Mans, initially scheduled for June 13 and 14, are postponed to September 19 and 20, 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic. This postponement will result in a modification of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) calendar. The 2019/2020 season was supposed to conclude with Le Mans, and the 2020/2021 season was to begin in early September at Silverstone with the new hypercar regulations. The new arrangements will be announced shortly.
“Postponing the 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans today proves to be the most suitable solution given the exceptional health circumstances we are all currently experiencing,” detailed Pierre Fillon, president of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest. “First and foremost, I urge everyone not to take any risks for themselves, their loved ones, and others. Today’s priority is to halt the spread of this virus. I also wish to express my warm regards to all the medical personnel mobilized for everyone’s health.”
The ACO specifies that the current tickets will be valid for the rescheduled date of September 19 and 20, 2020, without the need for an exchange. For those unavailable on September 19 and 20, the tickets will be refunded.
Double night shift
The 24 Hours of Le Mans have already been held in September once in their history. It was in 1968, due to the demonstrations in May, which led to the postponement of the race. At that time, a large majority of the expected competitors showed up, and nothing prevented Ford from claiming a third consecutive victory.
What really changes is the atmosphere. Mid-June corresponds to the shortest nights of the year. The sun sets at 10 PM, and daylight breaks at 5:45 AM, shortly after halfway through the race. In September, four months later, the situation is completely different. Night falls at 8 PM, and the sun appears at 7:30 AM. Therefore, the very unique nighttime atmosphere can be experienced for much longer.