Le Mans 2020 is postponed to September 19 & 20
Sadly Le Mans 2020 has been postponed to the 19 & 20 September. But we can all appreciate why as there is something serious that must take precedence.
Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de L’Ouest said:
“Postponing the 24 Hours of Le Mans from the original dates in June is now the most appropriate way forward in the current exceptional circumstances.
First and foremost, I urge everyone to avoid putting themselves, their loved ones and others at risk. The most important thing today is to curtail the spread of this virus. Our thoughts go out to medical staff working relentlessly for the sake of us all.”
Sensible advice and an unfortunate turn for the motorsport calendar. However, the show must go on and it’s September.
The last time this happened it was in 1968. Mass civil unrest with violent clashes in French universities saw Le Mans moved. Ultimately much of the country went on strike. This time it’s for something different, but the dates may not be a coincidence. You see it worked before, but there was quite a bit of rain in 1968, something that might be a problem this year.
On the 29 September 1968, Pedro Rodriguez crossed the line to become the first (and only) Mexican winner of Le Mans. In the John Wyer JWA GT40 he won with Lucien Bianchi. The September date may be the same, but much has changed since then. Not just the cars, but the track layout too. 1968 featured the new chicane before the pit straight. Sine then many more traffic calming measurements have been put in place.
Somewhat smaller, the Le Mans Classic is still a significant global event. Attracting many from around the world, all historic motorsport fans. For now the spectacle will be in the first week of July. So, let’s hope for a swift return to normality. But the organisers can make massive changes successfully if they need to.
Simon
See the official updates from the organisers at ACO. www.lemans.org/en