Fears entire MotoGP 2020 season will be cancelled – and F1 could be next despite plan to host 18-race campaign

Ezpeleta said: “I am not very confident that we will be able to run the 2020 GP season, even if we continue to work hard on it.

“We will consider all possible solutions, but to be honest, I would be surprised if it were possible to host races this year. We will now have to wait for the next developments.

“But until we have vaccines to stop the spread of the coronavirus, it will be very difficult or impossible to organise MotoGP and other major events.

“Even if life should normalise a bit again, the travel bans will remain in place in all countries.

“If it doesn’t, they’d be crazy, so it will not be possible for a large number of people to watch a football match live or attend a MotoGP event.”

One solution being investigated is a behind closed doors race and while that could suit football, according to Ezpeleta it would not work for races due to the number of people required to work at the event.

He added: “It is better to have races without spectators rather than no races at all but we already have 2000 people in a GP paddock in the best case anyway, so we would have to send 2,000 people around the world.

“This is only possible if the virus has been defeated or the spread has been restricted. Otherwise, it is a very difficult task.

“If we can’t handle the events with real health considerations, if that can’t be guaranteed, we won’t risk anything. Nothing at all!

“We don’t have to fool ourselves, governments and health authorities will not allow us to run a grand prix.”

While Ezpeleta says MotoGP would survive without a season, the financial implications for F1 and it’s teams is not so clear.

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The series would see virtually no income if the season is scrapped, as race contracts, sponsorship and hospitality packages and TV deals are not honoured.

However, F1 still must pay the teams their share of the prize pot from last season and with its share price already badly hit.

F1 joins British teams McLaren and Williams in furloughing some of its workforce.