Official: Bahrain Grand Prix will be held behind closed doors

The question was becoming more and more pressing: as Coronavirus cases were detected in the country, should the Grand Prix in Bahrain, scheduled for March 22, still be held? The organizers decided on a middle-ground approach: yes, the Grand Prix will take place but behind closed doors, without any spectators in attendance.

Two days after suspending ticket sales, the organizers announced: « In connection with our international partners and the Kingdom’s health crisis unit, Bahrain has decided that the Grand Prix will be an event reserved for participants. As a host nation, we have a great responsibility to ensure the well-being of supporters and those attending the races. With the global Covid-19 epidemic, holding a major sporting event open to the public that allows thousands of international travelers and local fans to interact closely would not be advisable at this time. »

However, the decision to cancel the race was not made as it would have resulted in a loss of revenue for Liberty Media and a loss of international visibility for the kingdom. Holding the event behind closed doors is not a major sacrifice for the organizers since spectators were few in number in the desert anyway, even though the organizers do their best to ensure a good experience and thus a positive image of the country. This is why the circuit also confirmed that all ticket holders would be refunded.

F1 clearly demonstrates that it is primarily a television event, with worldwide coverage. Nevertheless, this coverage will be somewhat reduced or of lower quality since some channels have already decided that their teams will stay at headquarters. This is particularly the case for the powerful German RTL and the Hungarian channel M4.

Meanwhile, no measure is currently planned for the Australian Grand Prix, scheduled for next week.

With the participation of www.racingbusiness.fr