DTM parent organization ITR has announced that it has chosen to relocate the series’ schedulded pre-season test from Monza to Hockenheim due to safety concerns over the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak in Northern Italy.
The test had originally been scheduled to take place at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Italy on March 16-18, but will now take place at the Hockenheimring in Germany, with the date also changing to March 16-19.
DTM becomes the second European sportscar racing series to take precautions, as the International GT Open announced on Wednesday that has postponed its winter test in Barcelona.
The Covid-19 virus has spread rapidly in Italy, with the country’s industrial Northern regions hit the hardest. The number of confirmed cases has risen to 400, with 12 confirmed fatalities.
“It’s become increasingly apparent that the spread and containment of the coronavirus is sadly affecting society in many different and deepening ways,” said ITR managing director Marcel Mohaupt. With the safety and well-being of everyone at the forefront of our thinking, we took the decision to relocate our pre-season test to a different venue.
We are extremely grateful to everyone at Monza and Hockenheim for their co-operation in this matter, and we look forward to visiting Italy in the summer for DTM’s first-ever event at this legendary circuit.”
In the statement released about the decision, ITR confirmed that the planned DTM race at Monza, to be held on June 26-28, will remain on the calendar.
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