Ferrari announced on Saturday that it will shut production at its plant in Maranello, Italy, until March 27 due to supply chain issues caused by Covid-19 coronavirus lockdowns.
The shutdown also affects Ferrari’s Formula One team, but all non-manufacturing related activity at the automaker will continue, with staff who can do so prompted to work from home.
Italy is one of the countries hardest hit by the virus, after China, and has seen shops, schools and numerous other work sites closed following a Mar. 11 decree by the Italian government that people avoid unnecessary contact with other members of the public.
Ferrari plant in Maranello, Italy
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Lamborghini have also ceased production, along with numerous suppliers. In the case of FCA, the plants that have closed are all over Europe and build cars for brands like Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Maserati. They will remain closed for at least the next two weeks. Volkswagen Group also announced it is closing some of its plants in Italy and Spain.
The coronavirus, which has now reached pandemic levels, has caused disruptions in many countries, including in the United States. The Circuit of the Americas over the weekend announced it will close and lay off staff due to restrictions on public gatherings of 250 or more people in Austin, Texas, where the racetrack and events center is located. The New York International Auto Show which was scheduled for April has also been postponed to August.
Elsewhere, the past weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, the opening round of the 2020 F1 season, was cancelled. The new season is now scheduled to commence in late May at a racetrack in Europe, meaning earlier scheduled races in Bahrain, China and Vietnam have all been postponed. Formula E, IndyCar and MotoGP are also postponing races.