The first race of the new Formula 1 season is now cancelled following the coronavirus pandemic.
Australian Grand Prix organisers, F1 and the sport’s governing body (FIA) have agreed to cancel the season opener in Melbourne for the sake of health and well being.
The move follows hours of confusion after confirmation of a McLaren team member returning a positive COVID-19 test last night.
Spectators were denied entry to the circuit this morning, while competitive track action never started despite marshalling crews being in place and course cars and two-seater F1 cars lapping the circuit.
Official statement from the AGPC on the cancellation:
“At 9am today the Australian Grand Prix Corporation was advised by Formula 1 of their intention to cancel all Formula 1 activity at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.”
“In light of this decision and updated advice this morning from the Chief Health Officer of the Victorian Government’s Department of Human and Health Services, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation confirms the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix is cancelled immediately.
“Last night a member of the McLaren Racing team tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. A further seven individuals returned negative results, confirming that they do not have the COVID-19 virus.
“Additionally, a ninth individual has been assessed and tested for the COVID-19 virus, with the results of this test pending. This individual is not associated with any Formula 1 team, the FIA or associated suppliers.
“Our first priority is the safety of everyone including attendees, our personnel, all event partners and members of the local community.
“Further information regarding refunds for ticket holders will be communicated in due course.”
A statement from Formula 1 read:
“Following the confirmation that a member of the McLaren Racing Team has tested positive for COVID-19 and the team’s decision to withdraw from the Australian Grand Prix, Formula 1 and the FIA convened a meeting of the other nine team principals on Thursday evening.
“Those discussions concluded with a majority view of the teams that the race should not go ahead. Formula 1 and the FIA, with the full support of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) have therefore taken the decision that all Formula 1 activity for the Australian Grand Prix is cancelled.
“We appreciate this is very disappointing news for the thousands of fans due to attend the race and all ticket holders will receive a full refund and a further announcement will be communicated in due course.
“All parties took into consideration the huge efforts of the AGPC, Motorsport Australia, staff and volunteers to stage the opening round of the 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship in Melbourne, however concluded that the safety of all members of the Formula 1 family and the wider community, as well as the fairness of the competition take priority.”
Even before the official confirmation, Mercedes publicly called on F1 and the FIA to call off the race.
“The Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team has today sent a letter to the FIA and F1 requesting the cancellation of the 2020 Australian Grand Prix,” the statement read. “We share the disappointment of the sport’s fans that this race cannot go ahead as planned. However, the physical and mental health and wellbeing of our team members and of the wider F1 community are our absolute priority.
“In light of the force majeure events we are experiencing with regards to the Coronavirus pandemic, we no longer feel the safety of our employees can be guaranteed if we continue to take part in the event.
“We empathise strongly with the worsening situation in Europe, most especially in Italy, and furthermore we do not feel it would be right to participate in an event where fellow competitors such as McLaren are unable to do so through circumstances beyond their control.
“Our team will therefore begin pack-up preparations at the circuit this morning.”
This is the correct decision to shut it down considering what is happening around the world. Although it is pure arrogance that the FIA and the race organisation wanted to stage the Australian Grand Prix in the first place due to commercial pressure. Thankfully, common sense has prevailed in this situation but how many more races will be postponed or cancelled?
Social media:
https://twitter.com/F1/status/1238240420548751365
https://twitter.com/McLarenF1/status/1238062852306583552
https://twitter.com/ScuderiaFerrari/status/1238248371481186306
https://twitter.com/MercedesAMGF1/status/1238240685259722752
https://twitter.com/ausgrandprix/status/1238241364870979584
Official news story:
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.formula-1-fia-and-agpc-announce-cancellation-of-the-2020-australian-grand.KKpXZDcd77WbO6T0MGoO7.html
https://www.fia.com/news/fia-formula-1-and-australian-grand-prix-corporation-joint-statement
News stories on the whole cancellation saga:
https://the-race.com/formula-1/f1-officially-cancels-australian-gp-after-hours-of-confusion/
https://the-race.com/formula-1/f1-australian-gp-postponed-due-to-coronavirus/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/51849163
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/11956695/f1-cancels-season-opening-round-at-australian-gp-after-coronavirus-case
Confusion engulfed the season-opening Australian Grand Prix hours before the cars were due on track before the race was eventually cancelled amid fears over the spread of the coronavirus.
“Following the confirmation that a member of the McLaren Racing Team has tested positive for Covid-19 and the team’s decision to withdraw from the Australian Grand Prix, the FIA and Formula 1 convened a meeting of the other nine team principals on Thursday evening,” a joint statement from FIA, Formula 1 and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation read.
“Those discussions concluded with a majority view of the teams that the race should not go ahead. The FIA and Formula 1, with the full support of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) have therefore taken the decision that all Formula 1 activity for the Australian Grand Prix is cancelled.”
On Thursday night, McLaren withdrew after one of its team members returned a positive test for Covid-19, casting a huge shadow over the viability of the weekend’s racing at Albert Park.
Despite the insistence of Paul Little, the chairman of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, on Friday morning that racing would go ahead, fans were locked out of the venue before a final decision was made to cancel the grand prix.
“All parties took into consideration the huge efforts of the AGPC, Motorsport Australia, staff and volunteers to stage the opening round of the 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship in Melbourne, however concluded that the safety of all members of the Formula 1 family and the wider community, as well as the fairness of the competition take priority,” the statement added.
McLaren issued a statement on Thursday evening in Melbourne stating that the decision was made with the intent of insuring the safety of everyone involved, including fans and the entire F1 paddock. They are the first to have been confirmed to have the virus.
Four members of the Haas team were also tested for the coronavirus having shown symptoms but all returned with negative results. Three other personnel from the F1 paddock, whose affiliation is unknown, also returned negative results.
Hospitality staff working at the Australian Grand Prix were told in an email on Friday morning to “disregard” media reports suggesting the event had been postponed, and to turn up for their rostered shift as usual.
McLaren’s withdrawal had thrown the status of the Australian Grand Prix as a world championship race into doubt. Ross Brawn, F1’s sporting director, has previously suggested that if a team could not compete because of the coronavirus, the meeting would not be considered part of the championship.
Source: Guardian.com