The Le Mans 24 Hours will be held later in the year for a second consecutive year, with organiser Automobile Club de l’Ouest having announced a postponement from June to August.
This comes on the heels of last year’s edition being held without fans in September as opposed to its original date of June due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this case, however, the ACO retains ambitions to invite spectators for the 2021 edition, stressing that “there will be a chance of spectators being able to attend, in strict compliance with the applicable health and safety measures” on the new date.
The postponement – from June 12-13 to August 21-22 – has been enacted this early in the year “to give competitors, partners and spectators as much visibility as possible and to maintain the current FIA WEC calendar”.
“Although it was a tough decision to make, it is the right one,” said ACO president Pierre Fillon. “Holding the 24 Hours of Le Mans behind closed doors for the second year running would be unthinkable.
“We are therefore doing all we can to avoid that happening and to give competitors a clear view of the whole season.
“We are working very hard to put on a safe event, with all the necessary health precautions in place.”
This year’s Le Mans will mark the first race under its new Hypercar class regulations. Toyota is the defending winner.
The new date provisionally moves the race from being the third round of the 2021 WEC season to becoming its fourth round, with Le Mans moving behind July’s 6 Hours of Monza.
Last year the organiser held a virtual Le Mans 24 Hours, which was won by Williams and Rebellion.
