With the race in Melbourne now canceled, at issue is whether the 2020 season will open next week in Bahrain.
MELBOURNE, Australia—March 13th– Early today, Formula 1 execs, organizers, and teams voted to cancel this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix. The race was to have been held on Sunday at Albert Park in Melbourne.
A major contributing factor to the decision was the discovery that a member of the McLaren team had tested positive for Coronavirus. That member is now isolated at the team’s hotel and is receiving treatment for the disease. Four members of another team–the American Haas F1 team–took the same test, and all members tested negative. Thus far, a total of eight F1-related people have been tested.
Race officials inform fans that the race has been canceled (photo, Galveston County Daily News)
The press got word of the McLaren team member’s affliction during a briefing that was held late Thursday night. Press was also informed that McLaren had withdrawn from the race.
News spread quickly. Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton said that he was surprised “that the race was going to be scheduled at all.” Rival Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari was prepared to “pull the handbrake” if someone from the F1 community died because promoters continued with the event.
Hamilton’s Mercedes team also filed a protest with both the governing body of Formula 1 (the FIA) and the Australian Grand Prix Commission. Mercedes argued that the event should not be held because those responsible could not “guarantee the safety of its employees.”
The ultimate decision to cancel the race came just nine hours from the teams were to begin two 90-minute practice sessions. With the cancellation in place, race officials said they would start the process of refunding ticket purchases.
It’s not the way F1 officials had planned to launch the sport’s 2020 season. If things stay as they are, the season will open next weekend in Sakir, Bahrain, with a spectator-less night race. Whether McLaren will participate is uncertain. Viet Nam comes after Bahrain with the third race of the year (scheduled for China) having already been canceled.
The European season is scheduled to start May 5th in The Netherlands. But with COVID-19 present in Europe, the continent’s race schedule remains uncertain.
