Ottawa, Apr 8 (IANS): The 2020 Canadian Grand Prix, which was scheduled for June 12-14, has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

In a statement, the Canadian promoters said they "would have been honoured to host the first race on the 2020 Formula 1 World Championship calendar" and that they were "saddened" to have to postpone the race.

"This postponement was not a decision that was taken lightly or easily," the statement read. "Over the past month, we have been in constant communication with Formula 1 and representatives from the city of Montréal, Tourism Montreal and both provincial and federal governments.

So far, nine races have been affected by the coronavirus outbreak, with the March 15 season-opening Australian Grand Prix cancelled along with May's showcase Monaco Grand Prix.

The news follows the announcement that F1 are working with promoters on a revised 2020 calendar with the actual sequence and schedule dates for races likely to differ significantly from the original calendar amid the COVID-19 pandemic which has claimed thousands of lives across the world.

All tickets for the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix 2020 will continue to be valid. As soon as the new date of the Grand Prix is confirmed, all spectators will be informed of the available options.