Formula 1 Postpones Races Until May 3 Amid Coronavirus Concerns

Formula One has confirmed the cancellation of races in Bahrain and Vietnam because of the coronavirus.

This weekend's Australian Grand Prix was cancelled over fears concerning the spread of COVID-19, and the F1 Twitter account noted on Friday that the next two races on the calendar will not go ahead either:

The race in China, where COVID-19 was first discovered, has already been cancelled; the next scheduled grand prix is in the Netherlands on May 3, although F1's statement suggests a start date for the season later in the month is probable. 

Per Dan Roan of BBC Sport, it was initially planned for the Bahrain race to be held behind closed doors. It's added that the Vietnamese government banned travel into the country for 14 days from Italy and other nations suffering with the spread of the virus.

Chris Carey, F1's chairman and CEO, said in a statement on the official F1 website that the safety of those involved in the sport was key to them taking this action.

"The global situation regarding COVID-19 is fluid and very difficult to predict, and it's right we take time to assess the situation and make the right decisions," he said. "We are taking this decision with the FIA and our promoters to ensure the safety of everyone involved in Formula 1 and our fans."

The Bahrain race has been on the calendar since 2004, while Vietnam was set to hold its first-ever F1 grand prix in 2020, with a street circuit in Hanoi selected as a venue.

The Australian Grand Prix was cancelled on Thursday. The decision was taken after McLaren confirmed they would be pulling out of the event, with a member of their team testing positive for the virus.