The FIA, Formula 1 and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation have just officially announced the cancellation of the 2020 Australian Grand Prix. The decision was reached after hours of crisis talks between the officials and teams just before the start of the first free practice session on Friday morning.
There were reports that the teams were split on whether the season-opener at Albert Park in Melbourne, Australia should go ahead as scheduled. Scuderia Ferrari has said they fully support the decision to cancel the Australian GP.
The team released a statement that said: “Scuderia Ferrari fully supports the decision taken by the FIA and Formula 1 in conjunction with the Australian Grand Prix Corporation to cancel the Australian Grand Prix (13 to 15 March) at Melbourne’s Albert Park circuit.
“The safety of all team members is our number one priority, especially as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to evolve rapidly.
“We feel very sorry for the fans who were due to come to Albert Park and support the Formula 1 race with all their usual enthusiasm, as well as all those who would have been watching from around the world.”
The second race of the season is scheduled for next weekend at Bahrain. The holding of the Bahrain Grand Prix will also have to be discussed among all the stakeholders as the impact of the spread of the coronavirus is felt worldwide.
