The coronavirus has thrown the events calendar into disarray, and we’re not just talking about the collector car world – everything from major sporting occasions such as the Olympic Games to Goliath music festivals such as Glastonbury have been forced to postpone or simply cancel altogether.
Once we get through this unsettling period of near-global quarantine, and rest assued we will get through it, we’re going to be spoiled for choice with the number of wonderful events to attend. Naturally, this updated 2020 automotive events calendar is prone to change as the situation constantly evolves, so exercise caution if you’re making travel arrangements, but this is what we know so far in terms of postponements and cancellations. We’ll update this list with any further information we receive.
Goodwood Members’ Meeting
As you’re probably aware, the 78th Goodwood Members’ Meeting was due to take place this weekend. Unsurprisingly, the event was called off and, although a new date has not been confirmed, Lord March is confident of finding a new slot later in the year. Alas, Bonhams has decided to cancel its Members’ Meeting sale, offering all lots via private treaty.
Techno Classica Essen
New provisional dates for Techno Classica Essen have been set for 24–27 June, the idea being that the accompanying RM Sotheby’s Essen sale will also take place as planned during the annual German trade fair.
Gooding & Company – The Passion of a Lifetime
This pandemic couldn’t have come at a worse time for Gooding & Company, which was preparing for its first auction in London. The ‘Passion of a Lifetime’ collection will be held at a later date, though hopefully still at Somerset House in the British capital.
Tour Auto Optic 2000
The epic Tour Auto road rally has been shifted from May to the end of the summer – the new dates are 31 August to 5 September.
Grand Prix de Monaco Historique
Sadly, the biennial Grand Prix de Monaco Historique has been cancelled, along with its contemporary counterpart. It will be the first time a Monaco Grand Prix has not been held since 1954.
Heveningham Concours
The organisers of the annual Heveningham Concours took the tough decision to cancel this year’s edition. A real shame as the intimate country event has made a real name for itself since its inception in 2016, attracting an exquisite selection of blue-chip cars.
Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este
The thought of sipping an Aperol spritz on the shores of Lake Como in October, enjoying the last of the warm autumn sunshine, is dreamy. On 16–18 October, the rescheduled Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este will take place, and you can make that dream a reality. Better still, the third Fuoriconcorso, the theme for which is yet to be revealed, is poised for the same weekend.
Mille Miglia
Thankfully, new dates for the fiercely popular Mille Miglia retrospective have been found, though participants will have to hold on until 22 October to cross the starting ramp in Brescia.
Le Mans 24 Hours
The Le Mans 24 Hours will not be held in June, but rather in September – the 19th and 20th, to be precise.
Goodwood Festival of Speed
The Goodwood Festival of Speed is the latest event to fall foul of the wretched virus. It’s not been cancelled, however, and Lord March and his team are working hard to secure a later date prior to the Revival on 11–13 September.
Le Mans Classic
The coronavirus pandemic has also prompted Peter Auto to postpone the tenth edition of the Le Mans Classic to 1–4 July 2021.
Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
In what was perhaps an inevitability, the organisers of the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California have cancelled this year’s edition. The concours’ official auction partner Gooding & Company has followed suit and cancelled its counterpart sale and we suspect this will have a domino effect on the other events that form the ever-popular Monterey Car Week in August. Pebble Beach has confirmed that the next Concours d’Elegance will be held on 15 August 2021.
As of now, all other events on the calendar are going ahead as scheduled. You can find our earlier overview here.
Photos: Rémi Dargegen, Rober Cooper, Mathieu Bonnevie, Tom Shaxson
