AUSTRALIAN AND CHINESE GRANDS PRIX FACE UNCERTAIN 2021 FUTURE
Pandemic worries mean races could be postponed or even axed completely
The start of the 2021 Formula 1 season is under a cloud as bosses of the Australian Grand Prix have yet to confirm the opening race, due to take place on March 19-21, while Chinese Grand Prix chiefs are also seeking a postponement.
The increasing concerns over the global health pandemic and the difficulty of travelling have put a question mark over the opening section of the 2021 calendar.
A spokesman for the state of Victoria, where the Australian Grand Prix is held in Melbourne, said: “The government will continue to prioritise public health considerations while protecting our major events calendar. Discussions between the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, the government and F1 management about the F1 calendar for 2021 are ongoing.”
The Australian Grand Prix Corporation said it would provide “further detail upon finalisation of arrangements with all parties in the coming weeks”. It is understood that F1 management could look to reschedule the race for later on in the season.
Teams and drivers travelled to the Albert Park venue last season just as the global pandemic spread throughout the globe, and the event was called off at the last minute. Should the Australian race be axed, the opening round of the 2021 campaign is likely to be the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 28.
Bosses of the Chinese Grand Prix have also asked F1 heads to delay their event. The race, which was also cancelled in 2020, is due to take place on April 11. Yibin Yang, the general manager of Chinese race promoter Juss Event, was quoted in local media. He said: “Despite the calendar being in place as usual, I think it’s hugely uncertain the F1 race would take place in the first half of the year, in April.
“We aim to swap it to the second half of the year, and we have formally submitted the request that we hope to move it to the second half of the year.”