GP Racing - UK (2020-04)

INSIDER

01

HOWFORMULA1RESISTED

AUSTRALIANGPCANCELLATION

WhentheWorldHealthOrganisationofficially

upgraded theCOVID-19 novel coronavirus outbreak

to pandemic statuson t he eve of the season-opening

Australian Grand Prix, it was almostinevitable the event

would have to be cancelled. Itwas the most responsible

courseof acti on. Andyet the decision was delayedamid

rancorousscenes behindclosed doors – arguments which

continued even after McLaren announcedits with drawal

on the Thursday of grand prixweek.

HOWF1 WAS

OUTFOXEDBY

CORONAVIRUS

PICTURES

Three teams – Red Bull, Scuderia AlphaTauri and

Racing Point– declaredthem selves determined to carry

on whileneither thecommercial rights holder northe FI A

was prepared to step in andcancel the race, lest they be

liable for financial damages. The AustralianGrand Prix

Corporation,the race promoter, is believedto pay in the

region ofAUS$50m annually to host theevent, and most

of that sum comesfrom the Victorianstate government.

Doubts had been cast over the wisdom of proceedinga

week before therace , as Ital y – the worst-aff ected of the

European countries – began to impose travel restrictions

that could have prevented Ferrari’s pr esence had they

been brought in 24-48hours earlier. But it was the

double-whammy of the WHO’s declaration, followed by

news that a McLaren team member had tested positive for

COVID-19,which forced the stakeholders into crisistalks.

TheFIA’scontractual positionwasthatwithoutsanction

01

16 GP RACING APRIL 2020

INSIDER

01

HOWFORMULA1RESISTED

AUSTRALIANGPCANCELLATION

WhentheWorldHealthOrganisationofficially

upgraded theCOVID-19 novel coronavirus outbreak

to pandemic statuson t he eve of the season-opening

Australian Grand Prix, it was almostinevitable the event

would have to be cancelled. Itwas the most responsible

courseof acti on. Andyet the decision was delayedamid

rancorousscenes behindclosed doors – arguments which

continued even after McLaren announcedits with drawal

on the Thursday of grand prixweek.

HOWF1 WAS

OUTFOXEDBY

CORONAVIRUS

PICTURES

Three teams – Red Bull, Scuderia AlphaTauri and

Racing Point– declaredthem selves determined to carry

on whileneither thecommercial rights holder northe FI A

was prepared to step in andcancel the race, lest they be

liable for financial damages. The AustralianGrand Prix

Corporation,the race promoter, is believedto pay in the

region ofAUS$50m annually to host theevent, and most

of that sum comesfrom the Victorianstate government.

Doubts had been cast over the wisdom of proceedinga

week before therace , as Ital y – the worst-aff ected of the

European countries – began to impose travel restrictions

that could have prevented Ferrari’s pr esence had they

been brought in 24-48hours earlier. But it was the

double-whammy of the WHO’s declaration, followed by

news that a McLaren team member had tested positive for

COVID-19,which forced the stakeholders into crisistalks.

TheFIA’scontractual positionwasthatwithoutsanction

01

16 GP RACING APRIL 2020