No Barum Rally in 2020

Bad news for the European Rally Championship ERC. The Barum Rally (August 28-30), a traditional round of the European calendar and contested on the roads of the Czech Republic, will not be organized this season.

Already in financial difficulty, with a recent call for donations launched by the organizers, the 50th edition of the asphalt event will only be held in 2021, as announced this Wednesday in a press conference, due to the economic context made complicated by the crisis resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.

“Due to the coronavirus outbreak, the entire country's economy has been shut down for a long time and the consequences have affected most people and businessessays the statement. Tourism, culture, the automotive industry and sport have become one of the most affected sectors.

After another round of meetings with our partners, we were suddenly faced with a budgetary loss estimated at around €200 which could not be covered by our own resources. We contacted several state organizations and we must thank everyone who came forward, especially Ms. Klára Dostálová, her Ministry of Regional Development of the Czech Republic and the CzechTourism agency.

Thanks to them, we had the first hope of saving the rally This year. These organizations realized that the Barum Rally helps the local economy with fuel, accommodation, gastronomy and many other services, as it generates more than a million euros in revenue each year for the local businesses. »

A cancellation which therefore leaves the European calendar with only six rounds, the kick-off remaining set for the Rally di Roma Capitale (July 24-26) on Italian asphalt.