Sebastian Vettel drives the Scuderia Ferrari 1000 racing car at the F1 test event in Barcelona, Spain, February 26, 2020. /VCG
Formula One's (F1) summer shutdown period has been moved forward to March and April and extended by a week due to the coronavirus pandemic, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) confirmed on Wednesday.
Teams used to be shut down for a two-week break in August. Nowadays, the move has been made in order to free up the summer break for a racing calendar affected by the COVID-19.
So far, first four events of the season – Australian Grand Prix (GP), Bahrain GP, Vietnamese GP, and Chinese GP – have all been postponed.
Following Italy's nationwide lockdown since March 11, Ferrari have already suspended all production at their F1 and road car factories.
"In light of the global impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus currently affecting the organization of FIA F1 World Championship events, the World Motor Sport Council has approved a change to the 2020 FIA F1 Sporting Regulations, moving the summer shutdown period from July and August to March and April and extending it from 14 to 21 days," read an FIA statement.
"All competitors must therefore observe a shutdown period of 21 consecutive days during the months of March and/or April.
"The change was supported unanimously by both the F1 Strategy Group and F1 Commission."
Toyota trio of Fernando Alonso, Sébastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima win the Le Mans 24-hour endurance race in France, June 16, 2019. /VCG
In motorsport, the Le Mans 24-hour endurance race in France, which was set to take place in June, has been postponed to September 19-20 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Organizers said on Wednesday they had taken the decision "as a consequence of the health situation linked to the coronavirus and the current restrictions in France and the world."
Also in France, the country's most renowned Tour de France cycling match, due to be held from June 27 to July 19, may be affected after many cyclists complain they cannot train outside.
The route of the Tour de France 2020 is revealed in Paris, France, October 15, 2019. /VCG
All cycling races up to the end of April have been cancelled and riders in France and Spain, where many are based, are unable to train or compete.
"An exception is unthinkable, it is clear that the lockdown applies to all, athletes included," French sports minister Roxana Maracineanu said.
"For the moment I’m not training, I'm taking a one-week break," Trek-Segafredo's Julien Bernard said on Wednesday.
"We don't know when racing will resume, at best at the end of May," the Frenchman added.