Premier Steven Marshall says SA could host Grand Prix if Melbourne is unable to
The Grand Prix could be back in Adelaide next year as South Australia “stands ready” to play host to the premier sporting event in 2021, if Melbourne is unable to because of coronavirus.
SA News
Don't miss out on the headlines from SA News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Grand Prix could be back in Adelaide next year, with Premier Steven Marshall willing to bid for its SA return, staged at the Bend, if it can’t be held in Melbourne.
Mr Marshall said the State Government was not moving to “poach” back the race, but would investigate the opportunity if Victoria was unable to host the premier sporting event.
His comments follow last week’s promise SA was not about to circle Victoria like “vultures” picking off the state’s premier events now at risk because of the pandemic’s resurgence east of the SA border.
SA is on Tuesday expecting news of which state will host the AFL Grand Final in a three-way tussle with Queensland and West Australia. The Final is traditionally played on Melbourne turf.
V8 Supercars are returning to the Bend track this year, and its managing director Sam Shahin has also floated the idea of luring Formula One.
Mr Marshall said a business case must stack for taxpayer money to be used.
He said the two-year-old track was one of the best racing circuits in the world, using the best state-of-the-art technology
“There is no doubt that The Bend is world class,” he said.
“I think it is one of the best racing circuits anywhere globally.
“I think we are in a very good position if the Melbourne Grand Prix doesn’t go ahead. “We’re not going over to poach, but we stand ready.”
Mr Marshall said he would be “very keen” to “partner” with the Bend’s operators.
“Of course it has got to stack up from a commercial perspective,” he said.
“We don’t have buckets of cash lying around but to bring quality events to SA and promote economic activity is exactly what we’re looking at.”
Between 1985 and 1995, Adelaide hosted the Grand Prix before it moved to Albert Park in Melbourne in 1996.
This year’s event at Albert Park was shut down following a positive test of coronavirus.
All preparations were finalised and teams had already travelled to Melbourne before pulling the plug.
At the time, F1 issued a statement that read: “Following the confirmation that a member of the McLaren Racing Team has tested positive for COVID-19 and the team’s decision to withdraw from the Australian Grand Prix, the FIA and Formula One convened a meeting of the other nine team principals on Thursday evening.
“Those discussions concluded with a majority view of the teams that the race should not go ahead.
“Formula One and the FIA, with the full support of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC), have therefore taken the decision that all Formula One activity for the Australian Grand Prix are cancelled.
“The safety of all members of the Formula One family and the wider community as well as the fairness of the competition take priority.”
As Melbourne tackles its outbreaks, there still remains doubt over whether the stage 4 lockdown will end in two weeks despite daily infection numbers falling.
Mr Marshall has praised South Australians many times for their efforts in battling the health crisis.
There were no new infections reported on Monday, and there is only one active case in SA.
Mr Marshall said all options were being explored to bring events to the state.