The 24 Hours of Le Mans race has been postponed from June to August in the hope that fans can attend by then, organisers said on Thursday.
The iconic race was scheduled to take place on 12-13 June but was moved to 21-22 August.
“Although it was a tough decision to make, it is the right one. Holding the 24 Hours of Le Mans behind closed doors for the second year running would be unthinkable,” said Pierre Fillon, the president of race organiser the Automobile Club de l’Ouest.
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“We are working very hard to put on a safe event, with all the necessary health precautions in place.”
The race was first held in 1923, and in 2019 it drew 252,500 spectators.
There were none in 2020 when the race started three months late because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Toyota Gazoo’s No. 8 car comfortably won last year to secure a third straight victory, with Swiss co-driver Sebastien Buemi and Japan’s Kazuki Nakajima also winning for a third straight year.
AP
