The Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix has been cancelled for the second year running.
UPDATE, 3:30pm 06/07/21 – The Grand Prix has officially been cancelled. Our coverage has been updated accordingly.
“We understand this is not the news MotoGP and Formula 1 fans wanted to hear,” Andrew Westacott, Australian GP Corporation CEO, today said in a statement.
“I would like to extend my thanks to the Victorian Government, Formula 1 and Dorna Sports for their unwavering resilience and support during this challenging period, and for their ongoing commitment to these two great events.”
SpeedCafe and 7News report the Grand Prix originally scheduled for November 2021 will not go ahead due to Victoria’s strict quarantine requirements for international arrivals.
The MotoGP event scheduled for October at Philip Island has also reportedly been cancelled.
Both Formula 1 and MotoGP reportedly were pushing to keep drivers, team, and officials in a ‘bubble’ during the race weekend to avoid the two-week quarantine requirement.
The Formula 1 Grand Prix is usually held in March, but was this year postponed until November to allow more time for Australia’s international travel restrictions to ease.
With Australia’s slow vaccine rollout, however, it’s not clear when that will happen.
Victorian Health Minister, Martin Pakula, and Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO, Andrew Westacott, are scheduled to speak to the media at 3pm today.
The Grand Prix was one of the first major public events to be cancelled at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.
Patrons were lined up outside the gates when they were told the race weekend would no longer go ahead.
