The motorsport calendar faces another hit in the wake of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, with the 2020 Isle of Man TT now cancelled. The event was scheduled to take place between May 30 and June 13, 2020, and preparations for the event were underway. However, the outbreak and severity of the situation in the United Kingdom has led organisers to call it off. This is the first time since 2001 that the iconic motorcycle racing event has been cancelled.
The UK government has said that it will announce measures to provide support for businesses that will be affected most by the TT's cancellation. Laurence Skelly, Minister for Enterprise, Isle of Man, commented, "The decision to cancel has not been taken lightly and all options including postponement and delaying the decision have been considered in detail. Representatives from the Isle of Man Government will now discuss the implications with all relevant businesses, stakeholders and individuals affected by this cancellation, which it recognises will be significant."
“The decision also aims to provide reassurance for our residents and healthcare professionals that the health and well-being of the Isle of Man’s residents is the single biggest priority and focus of this Government," he said.
The Department for Enterprise will also issue full refunds for all tickets purchased, including grandstand tickets, hospitality packages and other official event experiences purchased through the official Isle of Man TT website.
The Isle of Man TT isn’t the only sporting event that has been affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Numerous events including Formula 1, MotoGP and the World Endurance Championship (WEC) have all been either cancelled or postponed as a safety measure.
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