What year was Le Mans held behind closed doors because of COVID-19? Le Mans was held behind closed doors in 2020.
The 2020 running was the 88th 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was originally scheduled for June, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced organizers to postpone it to 19–20 September, an unusual date for a race traditionally held in June. Rising infection levels and public-health restrictions in France then led to the event being staged without spectators.
The Automobile Club de l’Ouest and local authorities considered a limited attendance plan, including separated fan areas, but ultimately abandoned it. Teams and personnel operated under strict health protocols, including testing, masks and team bubbles.
The race itself was won overall by Toyota. Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Kazuki Nakajima shared the winning Toyota TS050 Hybrid, giving Toyota its third consecutive Le Mans victory. The behind-closed-doors format was a direct consequence of the pandemic, not a normal change to the event’s spectator policy.