Australian Grand Prix: Formula 1 race and Moto GP round called off

The Australian Grand Prix has been called off for the second year in a row because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Formula 1 event was due to take place from 19-21 November but has been abandoned because of tight border controls in Australia.

Australian Grand Prix Corporation chairman Paul Little said he was “deeply disappointed” in a statement.

“We appreciate the challenge Australia faces with current international travel restrictions and the importance of vaccinations,” he added.

The Australian Grand Prix was called off in 2020 and put in place to open the current season on 14 March, only for the date to be moved to November because of border controls.

Its November date race was only to be followed by two more in the F1 season – Saudi Arabia and the season-ending Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi.

But Australian border rules require visitors to quarantine for 14 days, a condition of entry expected to be in place until at least the end of the year.

Organisers of the event ultimately cited “restrictions and logistical challenges relating to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic,” for the cancellation.

Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali said a 23-race season would still be possible despite the cancellation.

“While it is disappointing we won’t be racing in Australia this season, we are confident we can deliver a 23-race season in 2021 and we have a number of options to take forward,” he said.

McLaren’s Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo said the news was a “huge disappointment” for drivers but add they “understand the reasons”.

“For me personally, I can’t wait to have the chance to race at home again, and it’ll be even sweeter when we do because it’s been so long,” Ricciardo added. “Fingers crossed things can change for 2022 and we get to see the awesome fans at Albert Park again and put on a good show for them.”

The Australian round of the MotoGP world championship, scheduled to take place at Phillip Island, has also now been wiped out for a second successive year.

The event organisers said: “The ongoing pandemic and resulting travel complications and logistical restrictions mean it has not been possible to confirm the viability of the event at this time, and it will therefore not feature on the 2021 calendar.”

The Malaysia MotoGP has been brought forward to take place on from 22-24 October, the original dates of the Australia event.

Analysis – China race unlikely

Chief F1 writer Andrew Benson:

The autumn period of the season is proving problematic for Formula 1, because of the complications of long-distance travel, and the different stages of the pandemic in various parts of the world.

Singapore last month preceded Australia in cancelling its Grand Prix as a result of its tight border controls, and the schedule for October and November looks thin.

There are questions over the Japanese and Mexican races at the beginning and end of October, as well as the Brazilian event on the first weekend in November.

Japan will make a final decision on its race at Suzuka on 8-10 October after the Olympics, and its destiny likely hangs on whether there are any Covid-related problems at the Tokyo Games.

Mexico and Brazil both have high rates of infection, which was the reason those races were cancelled last year.

However, both Mexico City and Sao Paulo want to run their Grands Prix and, with vaccine programmes accelerating around the world, F1 may well decide to push ahead with them.

This decision is influenced by the fact that Sao Paulo has said it expects to have all its citizens double vaccinated by September, and that the majority of the F1 team personnel are either fully vaccinated or close to it by now.

That changes the balance of risk in the eyes of the sport’s bosses.

China, whose race was postponed in March and has not yet been officially cancelled, has been mooted as a potential destination in November, but BBC Sport understands a race there is now highly unlikely this year.

To fill any remaining gaps, F1 has the option of adding a second race in Austin, Texas, in addition to the US Grand Prix on 22-24 October, and a second race in Bahrain, which hosted the season-opener in March. This could take place on the track’s outer loop, the layout that hosted last year’s Sakhir Grand Prix.

And F1 bosses continue to look at other options as Domenicali pushes ahead with his plans to host a record-breaking 23-race season.