IMSA has announced the postponement of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring to November 11-14, 2020 over concerns of the coronavirus pandemic as well as a new travel ban that would prevent a number of European teams and drivers from participating in the event. The new dates will serve as the season-ending finale for the 2020 IMSA WeatherTech Championship.
Here is the statement from ISMA that was issued on Thursday morning:
The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) announced today that the 68th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Advance Auto Parts scheduled for March 18-21 has been postponed due to the recent United States ban on travel from Europe, which will prevent a number of drivers, teams and key personnel from participation.
The rescheduled race will now become the season-ending event of the 2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and will be run Nov. 11-14 at Sebring International Raceway. The weekend will also feature the rescheduled IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge – Alan Jay Automotive Network 120 and the IMSA Prototype Challenge season-ending races.
The annual WeatherTech Night of Champions awards banquet will take place on Nov. 15 at the Seven Sebring Raceway Hotel. In addition, the season-ending Championship Awards for both the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and IMSA Prototype Challenge will be held in conjunction with the Sebring race event weekend.
Previously purchased 2020 admission tickets and parking will be honored at the above rescheduled Sebring International Raceway event.
The FIA World Endurance Championship has also has canceled their 1,000 Miles of Sebring that was also scheduled for the Super Sebring weekend, again citing the new travel restrictions from those entering the USA who had been in the Schengen area of Europe in the last 14 days.
The European travel ban which covers 26 European nations but excludes the United Kingdom goes into effect on 11:59 pm on Friday, March 13th.
With the travel ban going into effect on Friday, the restrictions could have limited Corvette Racing’s ability to get drivers Antonio Garcia, Nicky Catsburg and Marcel Fassler into the USA for the event.
We’ll share any related news or statements from the Corvette Racing team as they become available.
Source:
IMSA.com
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That is a little far in advance to cancel a closed course race. November, why not just cancel due to death rates on highways?
Arlie, agreed!
Sebring was scheduled for next week and European teams and drivers would not have been able to get their people here due to the travel ban. The race was RESCHEDULED TO NOVEMBER and will serve as the final race for IMSA in 2020.
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