2021 Le Mans 24 Hours postponed to August in hope of fans attending

The 89th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours has been postponed as organisers hope that fans will be able to attend the race later in the year.

While the postponing of the race had been in the works for some time, it was originally meant to run in its traditional June slot but will now take place on August 21-22

Last year’s race was postponed until September due to the coronavirus pandemic and plans to have attendees fell apart at the 11th hour, with the 2020 edition running behind closed doors due to local government guidelines and safety concerns.

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) said that the ’21 postponement gave potential spectators the best possible chance of seeing the new hypercar era at Le Mans and that the event would run under strict guidance from health authorities.

“Although it was a tough decision to make, it is the right one. Holding the 24 Hours of Le Mans behind closed doors for the second year running would be unthinkable,” ACO president Pierre Fillon said.

“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 race promises to be another thriller as the new Hypercar class makes its debut.”

This year, the hypercar class is set to debut with Toyota and Glickenhaus fielding two hypercars each while Alpine will run a grandfathered LMP1 car in the top class of the World Endurance Championship.