Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix becomes latest sporting event to go behind closed doors amid Coronavirus outbreak
This month’s Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix will be held behind closed doors because of the Coronavirus outbreak.
The race will go ahead as planned at the Bahrain International Circuit across the weekend of March 20-22, but no spectators will be allowed to attend.
A statement from race organisers said: "In consultation with our international partners and the Kingdom's national health taskforce, Bahrain has made the decision to hold this year's Bahrain Grand Prix as a participants-only event.
"As an F1 host nation, balancing the welfare of supporters and race goers is a tremendous responsibility. Given the continued spread of Covid-19 globally, convening a major sporting event which is open to the public and allows thousands of international travellers and local fans to interact in close proximity would not be the right thing to do at the present time.
Before and after aerials of public spaces affected by the Coronavirus
"But to ensure that neither the sport, nor its global supporter base, is unduly impacted, the race weekend itself will still go ahead as a televised event."
Formula 1 has already had to postpone its Chinese Grand Prix, scheduled for April, while there are doubts about whether the Vietnam Grand Prix, also set to take place next month, will go ahead.
