The Indianapolis 500 will be contested behind closed doors

The big meeting of the season IndyCar, the 500 miles from Indianapolis, which attract more than 300 people each year, will be organized behind closed doors on August 23, faced with the still significant spread of the coronavirus pandemic across the Atlantic.

Penske Corporation, owner of the series and the Indianapolis complex, confirmed the information on Tuesday. “Dedicated to running the race this year with 25% attendance at our outdoor facilities, including significant precautions implemented by the city and state, trends around Covid-19 in Marion County and throughout Indiana got worse, indicates the promoter.

Since our June 26 announcement, the number of cases in Marion County has tripled while the rate of positive cases has doubled. We said from the start of the pandemic that we would prioritize the health and safety of our community, and while welcoming spectators with limited capacity through our plan was appropriate in late June, it was not. is not the right path to take based on the current environment. »

The television broadcast will be available on NBC in the United States, with Canal + having the rights for the French market. Note that ticket holders for the 2020 edition will keep their ticket for 2021. The first tests will begin on August 12.