‘Shocked’ Hamilton wonders why Aussie GP’s going ahead

This article originally appeared on Sky Sports and was reproduced with permission.

FORMULA One world champion Lewis Hamilton has questioned why the Australian Grand Prix is still going ahead while the rest of the world reacts to the coronavirus crisis.

The six-time F1 world champion said it was “shocking” yesterday that drivers were addressing media about the season-opening race in Melbourne while the virus spread around the globe.

The Australian GP has already suffered a coronavirus scare with at least six personnel from the F1 paddock being tested and put into isolation on Wednesday and yesterday.

Officials were still awaiting test results.

Hamilton said he was concerned for the welfare of fans attending the event and was not comfortable with the way the situation was being handled by the sport’s officials.

“I am really very, very surprised that we are here ... it is great that we have races, but I think that it is shocking that we are sitting in this room (the media centre) and so many fans are here already today and it seems like the rest of the world is reacting, probably a little bit late,” he said.

“But already this morning we’ve seen with Trump shutting down the borders from Europe to the States, we’ve seen the NBA has been suspended, yet Formula One continues to go on. I saw Jackie

Stewart this morning looking fit and healthy and well in the lift, and some people as I walked into the paddock, some elderly people, it’s a concern for the people here.”

The coronavirus has already forced the postponement of April’s Chinese GP and there are fears the Vietnamese GP will be scratched.

Asked why he thought the Melbourne race was still going ahead, Hamilton was blunt. “Cash is king,” he said. “I honestly don’t know. I don’t feel like I should shy away from my opinion.

“The fact is we are here and I just urge everyone to be as careful as you can be touching doors and services and I hope everyone sanitiser.”

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel said Hamilton was right to question why the race was still going ahead when other major sporting events around the world were being cancelled.

Australian Daniel Ricciardo said he had to put his trust in the sport’s officials and was ready to race at his home GP.

“I have to put my trust in the FIA ... I’m here to compete and race cars,” Ricciardo said.

“I’m not much more than that in this situation and there are people who are spending more time investing in it than I am and I am just following guidelines.”

Rebecca Williams has got hand