Madrid, Mar 26 (IANS): The Spanish Moto GP has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was supposed to be held on May 3.

"The ongoing coronavirus outbreak has obliged the event to be rescheduled," organisers announced on Thursday.

"As the situation remains in a state of constant evolution, a new date for the Spanish GP cannot be confirmed until it becomes clearer when exactly it will be possible to hold the event," a statement added.

The season is now slated to open with the French Grand Prix at Le Mans' Bugatti circuit on May 17. Races in Thailand, the United States and Argentina have also been postponed, as per a BBC report.

The number of coronavirus deaths in Spain has surpassed China, where the pandemic originated last December, to become the second worst-hit country in terms of fatalities after Italy.

According to update by the Washington-based John Hopkins University, Spain has recorded a total of 3,647 deaths, while the death toll in China stood at 3,291. Italy tops the list of global deaths at 7,503.

According to Fernando Simon, the head of the country's emergency public health department, the fatality ratio has levelled out in recent days and figures seem to indicate that Spain is approaching a peak in coronavirus cases.