The Australian Grand Prix, due to take place this weekend on the Melbourne circuit, was canceled on Friday due to the coronavirus pandemic after long hesitation, the uncertainty reigning over the date of the start of the world championship of Formula 1. The Grand Prix of Bahrain, scheduled for March 22, and that of Vietnam, scheduled for April 5, postponed to an unspecified date.
After lengthy discussions between the teams, the organizers, the International Automobile Federation (FIA), and local authorities, the cancellation of the race was announced shortly before the start of the first free practice.
Melbourne
It was the announcement by the Prime Minister of the State of Victoria, where Melbourne is located, to deny the public access to the circuit due to “public health requirements,” which seems to have won the decision. Previously, the majority, but not all, of the stakeholders (race organizers, F1 promoter, FIA, and team managers) had declared themselves in favor of the race not taking place. Two teams, however, Red Bull and AlphaTauri, powered by Honda, believed that it should instead stand. These disagreements delayed the decision to
Several people had been tested for coronavirus in the F1 paddock since Wednesday. The announcement that a member of the McLaren team had turned out positive prompted the British team to withdraw, triggering the process, ultimately leading to the cancellation of the Grand Prix.
McLaren said Friday that a total of 14 team members had been quarantined for 14 days in a Melbourne hotel, while the rest will not return to plant headquarters for the same period after returning to Great Britain. Brittany. Thursday, the six-time world champion and titleholder Lewis Hamilton had already wondered about the reasons for the continuation of the race and the presence on site of the ten teams, their twenty drivers, and hundreds of other employees.
“I am very, very surprised that we are here,” said the Briton at a press conference. “It is good that there are car races, but, for me, it is shocking that we are all sitting here in this room.” “I see people going about their business as if everything is normal, but it is not,” said the Mercedes driver, who will try to conquer a seventh world title this year that would make him the equal of the legendary Michael Schumacher.
“Money is king,” he said when asked about the holding of the Grand Prix in a country where more than a hundred cases of coronavirus and three deaths have been recorded, launching as a challenge: “I do not see not why I would not state my opinion.” “It is normal to ask the question,” had conceded for its part the quadruple German world champion Sebastian Vettel. “But I’m not the one who has to judge,” added the Ferrari driver, stressing that he and his counterparts “defer to the decision of other people by trusting them.” F1 promoter CEO Chase Carey responded to Hamilton’s comments on Friday, saying, “if money was king, we wouldn’t be there.”
Bahrain Grand Prix on March 22 pending
However, he declined to say whether the next round of the World Championship, the Bahrain GP on March 22, will take place or not. The authorities of the kingdom have already decided to hold the race behind closed doors.
Chinese Grand Prix
The Chinese GP, which was to be held on April 19, was postponed to an unspecified date. The Vietnam Grand Prix, scheduled for April 5, has been delayed to an unspecified date due to the coronavirus pandemic, race organizers announced Friday. We are postponing “the F1 race in Hanoi due to the complicated development of the Covid-19,” they said in a statement.
This announcement follows the cancellation of the Australian Grand Prix on Friday, which was to mark the start of the season, which was turned upside down this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
MotoGP championship
F1 is not the only mechanical sport to be affected by the pandemic. The MotoGP championship has also seen several of its events canceled or postponed, as well as the FE (Electric Formula) championship. The Rally of Mexico, on the other hand, must take place as planned this weekend.
Read Also: The Facts on Coronavirus
2020 Formula 1 season Calendar.
The drivers meet in Melbourne, Australia, on March 15 for the resumption.
15. March 07:10 Australia Melbourne
22. March 5:10 pm Bahrain Bahrain
05. Apr 09:10 Vietnam HanoiShow
19. Apr 13:10 China Shanghai
03. May 16:10 Netherlands Zandvoort
10. May 15:10 Spain CatalunyaShow
May 24 3:10 PM Monaco Monte Carlo
07. Jun 14:10 Azerbaijan BakuShow
14. June 8:10 PM Canada Montreal
28. June 3:10 PM France Le Castellet
05. Jul 15:10 Austria Spielberg
19. Jul 16:10 United KingdomSilverstone
02. Aug 15:10 Hungary Hungaroring
30. August 15:10 Belgium Spa-FrancorchampsShow
Sep 06 3:10 PM Italy Monza
20. Sep 14:10 Singapore Singapore
27. Sep 13:10 Russia Sochi
11. Oct 7:10 AM Japan Suzuka
25. Oct 20:10 United StatesAustin
01. Nov 20:10 Mexico Autodromo Hermanos RodriguezShow
15. Nov 19:10 BrazilSao Paulo
29. Nov 15:10 United Arab EmiratesYas Marina