F1: Azerbaijan Grand Prix postponed over COVID-19 fears

By Muhammed Enes Calli

ANKARA (AA) - Formula 1 on Monday confirmed the postponement of Azerbaijan Grand Prix as the coronavirus continues to spread across the world.

''The Azerbaijan Grand Prix has become the latest race of the 2020 season to be postponed, the organizers have announced,'' Formula 1 said in a statement on its website.

''Officials from the Baku City Circuit said on Monday: "The postponement was agreed upon after extensive discussions with Formula 1 as well as the FIA [Federation of Automobile] and the Government of the Azerbaijan Republic,'' it added.

Following the Australian, Bahrain, Vietnamese, Chinese, Dutch, Spanish and Monaco Grands Prix, Azerbaijan Grand Prix became the eighth race of 2020 to be postponed or cancelled due to concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.

The virus, which emerged in Wuhan, China last December, has spread to at least 167 countries and regions around the globe,

According to data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University, the death toll is currently over 15,300, with confirmed cases exceeding 350,000.

In all, over 100,000 people diagnosed with COVID-19 have recovered from the disease so far.

Italy, China, Spain and Iran continue to be the most affected countries.