No UK Racing Until June 30; Two More Races Canceled

Photo: Patrick Hecq/SRO

Motorsport UK has extended its suspension of events throughout the UK until at least June 30, forcing the cancelation of two more GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS rounds.

The British motorsport governing body confirmed the suspension on Tuesday morning following an address to the nation from Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday evening, whereby the UK has been put into an effective lockdown for a minimum of three weeks. 

This move cancels the next two GTWC Europe rounds at Brands Hatch on May 2-3 and Silverstone on May 8-10, as well as three rounds of the Intelligent Money British GT Championship at Snetterton, Silverstone and Donington Park.

Both series’ original opening races, at Monza and Oulton Park, respectively, have already been canceled from their April dates in recent weeks. 

It now puts the provisional GTWC Europe opener at Circuit Paul Ricard on May 29-30 and makes British GT’s first round its race at Spa-Francorchamps on July 18-19.

A statement released by Motorsport UK read: “This move provides clear guidance to event organisers, venues, competitors, officials and volunteer marshals of the role that Motorsport UK must play in supporting the broader UK public health agenda.”

While the UK does not have lockdown measures to the extent of Italy and France, the public are now only allowed to leave their houses for essential reasons, such as grocery shopping and exercise, in line with the government’s message of ‘Stay home, save lives’.

The body’s chairman David Richards added: “Motorsport UK has a vital role to play with its community in reinforcing that, at this time of national emergency, we must all stay at home to play our part in protecting the NHS and ultimately saving lives.

“Today, the government have required that we effectively lock-down for a period of three weeks, however given that the most vulnerable in our society are required to isolate for three months, it is evident that the most responsible course of action was to propose a longer suspension of our sport.

“When we reflect back on this time, it will be a brief, but vital, hiatus from our everyday motorsport life and we must put this in perspective.

This is a time of national unity and we need to come together with the broader public community to do all we can to support this battle and ultimately save lives.”

The SRO Motorsports Group has released a statement confirming that a replacement date for British GT’s three-hour race at Silverstone has been secured for the final quarter of the year, but no further details have been communicated.

Regarding GTWC, SRO has simply confirmed that replacement options are “in place” and an announcement will be made later this week.

Jake Kilshaw

Jake Kilshaw is a UK-based journalist. He is a graduate of Politics and International Relations.