---
title: "Here’s How Coronavirus Is Impacting MotoGP, Formula E, Formula One"
description: "Another day brings additional cancellations, postponements, and even more disappointments."
date: "2020-03-11"
modified: "2020-03-12"
authors:
  - name: "James Gilboy"
    job_title: "Contributing Writer"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/james-gilboy"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/32551/heres-how-coronavirus-is-impacting-motogp-formula-e-formula-one"
categories:
  - "News"
  - "Racing"
---

# Here’s How Coronavirus Is Impacting MotoGP, Formula E, Formula One

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2020/03/GettyImages-1132131327.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

As the scale of the global coronavirus outbreak becomes more apparent, governments across the globe are canceling major public events. [Auto shows](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/32539/aprils-new-york-auto-show-punted-to-august-over-coronavirus>) and motor races alike are being postponed or scratched outright, and this Wednesday, international race series MotoGP and Formula E announced new amendments to their calendar, while Formula 1 showed signs of having to again adjust its own schedule.

Following [Circuit of the Americas' trade of its MotoGP season-opening April race weekend for a more secure date in November](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/32535/april-motogp-race-at-cota-postponed-to-november-due-to-coronavirus>), MotoGP announced that the subsequent race in Argentina has also been rescheduled. Commercial rights holder Dorna Sports attributed the decision to fears of worsening the spread of COVID-19 in Latin America and has pushed the Argentine event back to November 22, in turn delaying the season-ending Valencia race to November 29. This further crowds the tail end of the MotoGP calendar, which may yet need to accommodate [the delayed Thailand race](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/32415/motogp-season-opener-canceled-as-coronavirus-wrecks-2020-racing-calendar>) sometime later this season. Widespread COVID-19 outbreaks in Catalunya, France, and Spain threaten the three rounds currently scheduled to start the MotoGP season, making the possibility of a delayed season start in Germany or the Netherlands in late June look very real.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1237757039440470017

Formula E also confirmed Wednesday morning that in addition to [rescheduling its Sanya E-Prix in China](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/32057/coronavirus-forces-formula-e-to-call-off-next-months-chinese-e-prix-in-sanya>), its Jakarta, Indonesia E-Prix will not be held on its initially planned date of June 6. Race organizers seek a rain check, though they have not yet outlined a window in which the race could instead be held.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1237589997269573632

Formula 1 isn't unaffected by COVID-19, as it has postponed the [Chinese Grand Prix](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/32173/2020-formula-1-chinese-grand-prix-postponed-due-to-coronavirus-epidemic>), and plans to run the Bahrain Grand Prix with no spectators. Fear of the virus still spread through the F1 paddock Wednesday morning, however, when the *[BBC](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/32173/2020-formula-1-chinese-grand-prix-postponed-due-to-coronavirus-epidemic>)* reported that three team personnel—one McLaren, two Haas—had self-quarantined after showing cold-like symptoms prior to the season-opening Australian Grand Prix this weekend. Race organizers are confident that the show will go on, and with a full audience, though the same can't be said for the hosts of the season's third race, Vietnam. Hanoi officials released a [statement](<https://thethao.tuoitre.vn/chu-tich-ha-noi-gan-100-000-khach-quoc-te-dang-ky-xem-dua-xe-f1-20200306181707141.htm>) last Friday admitting that the worsening COVID-19 outbreak may force them to cancel the race outright, though if they do, rumor has it we won't be down a second race from the 2020 calendar. [*GP Today*](<https://www.gptoday.net/en/news/f1/254586/possibility-of-two-races-in-bahrain-being-explored>) alleges a Bahrain doubleheader could be on the table, and that a decision will be handed down within 48 hours.

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## Author
James is a former staff writer for The Drive. He has changed the conversation around electrification, debunked misinformation online, and become a prominent hunter of what he calls "automotive cryptids."

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/jamesgilboy>)