Australian Grand Prix cancellation to cost Australian taxpayers millions
Victorian taxpayers may not know for weeks if they have to foot the bill for the Melbourne Grand Prix being cancelled due to coronavirus fears. ALL YOUR AUSTRALIAN GP NEWS
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Victorian taxpayers may not know for weeks if they have to foot the bill for the Melbourne Grand Prix being cancelled due to coronavirus fears.
The Albert Park major event was called off after a McLaren team member tested positive to COVID-19 and drivers from several Formula One teams raised safety concerns.
Fans will be offered refunds and Australian Grand Prix Corporation chiefs gave a glimmer of hope a replacement race could be considered in Melbourne.
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But, as more than 12,000 staff and 600 suppliers packed up the temporary circuit, it was unclear if the public would have to pay a fee of about $60 million to F1 Management.
Australian Grand Prix chief executive Andrew Westacott said financial implications of the cancellation were still to be resolved.
“A cancellation of this nature has a lot of consequences and some if those are contractual and financial,” he said.
“We will work those through with the commercial rights holder in the days and weeks following this announcement and we will be making sure that appropriate contractual measure are looked after.”
F1 did not respond to questions about the race fee or which teams were willing to race once the McLaren staffer tested positive to the deadly disease.
Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the Morrison Government would not bail out Victoria if F1 management lumped Melbourne with the huge fee despite the race being scrapped.
But the Herald Sun believes the Grand Prix Corporation will also explore claims through the State Government’s insurance agency, the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority.
Aussie F1 star Daniel Ricciardo said he was “devastated” not to compete at his home GP in Melbourne but ultimately “the right decision has been made”.
Formula One chief executive Chase Carey said infection of the McLaren member was a key factor in deciding to call off the race.
And he defended bringing international teams to Melbourne amid global scenes of coronavirus chaos.
“We felt we made the right decision when we moved here, in hindsight you’re always going to look at things differently,” he said.
DAMNED IF THEY DID, DAMNED IF THEY DIDN’T
Formula 1 legend David Coulthard says Australian Grand Prix organisers were “damned if they did, and damned if they didn’t” over their handling of cancelling the race.
“It’s been a very fluid circumstance and situation,” Coulthard told Confidential.
“It’s one of those things where they were damned if they did, and damned if they didn’t. It’s easy to criticise when you don’t have to make the difficult decision.”
Australian Grand Prix officials have come under fire over confusion on whether the race would go ahead. The decision to cancel the GP came as thousands of fans arrived at the Albert Park track this morning.
“I think we have to respect the decision has been taken by adults, between the government, the corporation and medical officials. I think we can acknowledge they’ve tried their hardest to make it happen.”
But Coulthard, who appeared on Friday at a brunch event for Mercedes at the Mercedes Me store in Collins St, said officials should consider releasing a “timeline” of events “leading up to the decision” in the interests of being “transparent.”
The race ace, who has been in Melbourne for less than 24 hours, will leave tonight.
“None of us have been in this circumstance before,” he said of the GP cancellation.
“It’s not about Melbourne or Formula 1. It’s about a number of sports events around the globe. Public health is incredibly important, but putting all that to one side, it’s such a shame. It’s a great sport event.
“Of all the Grand Prix events we have, I think Australians do sport brilliantly, irrespective of what the sport is. It’s really disappointing, but what puts everything into context is, if you’ve lost because of this virus, or somebody is sick because of this virus, they won’t be thinking about sports events, and understandably so.”
Australian Grand Prix Corporation chairman Paul Little is hopeful the Albert Park Formula One race can be held at a later stage this year after the global coronavirus crisis forced its cancellation.
Just hours before the Formula One cars had been scheduled to hit the track for opening practice, Formula One confirmed the race had been called off.
It comes as more popular Victorian events are under a cloud and rock festival Download was cancelled this morning.
The event was thrown into chaos on Thursday night after McLaren pulled out of the event following one of its team members returning a positive test for coronavirus.
Mr Little apologised to fans for not being able to put the race on, but was hopeful it could be revived at a later stage this year.
“From the Australian Grand Prix point of view, we just want to say sorry to our fans and the health and safety and welfare of teams and people, the community generally has to take precedence and it will and has,” Mr Little said.
“We look forward to hopefully being able to run this event at some later stage, we’ll just have to wait and see.”
Australian Grand Prix Corporation chief executive Andrew Westacott said “never say never” when asked if there was a chance if the race could be held at a later date this year.
“I’ve learnt in the world of Formula One, you never say never. We clearly have been working on the here and now with (Formula One chief) Chase Carey and the FIA and Formula One,” Mr Westacott said.
“We’ll work through matters but we haven’t started to think about future staging or anything like that.
“But it’s clearly a normal topic of discussion that will happen in the fullness of time.”
Mr Westacott said the word “cancellation” had been used deliberately in announcing the race was off to avoid any confusion with fans.
“It’s important to say that we use the word ‘cancellation’ because of the imminencey of the timing of it,” Mr Westacott said.
“It’s important to make sure that the fans that are here in Melbourne, some of the fans that were at the gate knew that it wasn’t a postponement or didn’t get the impression that it was a postponement for some period of hours or days or something.
“The word ‘cancellation’ was used deliberately here.”
Teams in the Formula One Paddock quickly began packing up to leave the circuit on Friday morning and the AGPC said the infrastructure at the event would also have to be taken down.
The logistics of setting the temporary precinct up again, taking over the public space and fitting an event onto the international calendar make a rescheduled event unlikely.
“We can’t leave it here for months,” Mr Westacott said.
“One of the things we respect here is there are men and women’s football teams, there is sporting activities here. We recognise one of the privileges we have is to occupy a beautiful park in the CBD of Melbourne.
“So we want to minimise the impact of the build and the dismantle. Clearly this changes the way we dismantle the circuit and change it back, but we can’t be leaving it here for days or weeks and we would expect to be dismantling and removing the infrastructure and returning it back to the sporting clubs of Albert Park and Melbourne.”
The season visits 22 global cities, though April’s Chinese Grand Prix has already been suspended and this month’s Bahrain race will take place in a no-fan environment.
Foreign teams could even face problems transporting their cars and infrastructure overseas from Melbourne with travel bans on some European countries and US restrictions.
Here is the #AustralianGP trophy this year going to no one. pic.twitter.com/L73Tgb2XqR
— Peter Rolfe (@rolfep) March 13, 2020
F1 BOSS FIRES BACK AT HAMILTON SLEDGE
Formula One boss Chase Carey has refuted Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton’s suggestion the sport had been pushing ahead with plans to race in Melbourne because “cash is king”.
Hamilton hit out at race authorities on Thursday for plans to press ahead with the opening race of the season amid the growing coronavirus threat, before the event was cancelled on Friday.
The six-time world champion suggested money had been the factor behind F1 initially pressing ahead with plans to hold the race.
But Carey said the sport would not have made the decision it did to call the race off if it had been motivated by finances.
“I guess if cash is king, we wouldn’t have made the decision we did today (Friday),” Carey said.
“Again, I think I’ve sort of addressed it in many different ways so I can keep saying the same thing.
“In hindsight obviously things look different. There were events that evolved, situations that changes, we made a decision, which given the lead time, to come here and hold the event at a point in time where major events were being held here.
“It was a different situation in the world … as the situation changed day to day and in some ways, hour to hour, obviously we continued to evaluate that and make the appropriate decisions going forward.
“We were trying to digest a lot of different information to make the right decision at the right time and I think we did that.”
Asked if Formula One could have done more to avoid a cancellation on the eve of the weekend, Carey said F1 “made the right decision as it evolved”.
‘DEVASTATED’ DRIVERS REACT TO CANCELLATION
Australian Formula One star Daniel Ricciardo is devastated he can’t race at his home Grand Prix this weekend, but says it’s the right decision to a situation “we’ve never seen before”.
And world champion Lewis Hamilton said it was the right decision to cancel the opening race of the season after his heavy criticism of race organisers to press ahead on Thursday.
Formula One’s stars all expressed their disappointment at not being able to race at Albert Park, but agreed sport had now taken a back seat the growing global health crisis.
Ricciardo apologised to fans, but said it was the right call to make to cancel the race.
“I’m devastated I can’t compete at my home GP here in Melbourne and get the season started,” Ricciardo said.
“Ultimately though the right decision has been made and I think everyone can understand this is something we’ve never seen before.
“Sorry to all the fans who came out for the support.”
Hamilton had said it was shocking the race was still going ahead before the situation escalated on Thursday night when McLaren pulled out of the event after one of its team members returned a positive coronavirus test.
The Mercedes star, who would be aiming for a record-equalling seventh world title this year, said the sport had to be realistic and put health first.
“Sadly, this is the right decision,” Hamilton said wrote on social media.
“No one wants this, we all want to get in our cars and get racing, but we have to be realistic and we must put health and safety first.
#AusGP pic.twitter.com/VKSFooJH7a
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) March 13, 2020
“The reality is this is really serious with people dying every day, lots of people ill and even if they are not ill, many people are being affected financially and emotionally.
“No one really knows the extent of what we are dealing with, but we should take precautions to keep as many people safe as possible.
“I know it’s disappointing, as sport unites us when times are tough, but it’s the right call. Listen to the advice everyone, keep safe.
“Hope to be back racing soon, but in the meantime look after yourselves.”
McLaren driver Lando Norris, whose team pulled out of the Grand Prix on Thursday night after one of its team members returned a positive coronavirus test, said he was thinking of everyone in the team.
“While I’m gutted that I can’t race, the most important thing right now is everybody’s health,” Norris said.
“We’ve been doing everything we can to limit spread and that has naturally involved me being around as few people as possible.
“My only thoughts are with the team and everyone in the world fighting this.”
Ferrari young gun Charles Leclerc said health was the priority, but hoped to be soon back behind the wheel.
“We’ll have to wait a bit longer to get back in the car,” Leclerc said.
“I was really looking forward to get back behind the wheel but this is the best decision, the health of everyone is the priority.
“Stay safe everyone and hopefully all of this will be over soon.”
FULL REFUNDS FOR RACING FANS
Fans shut-out of the Grand Prix will be offered full refunds after the event was today cancelled due to coronavirus concerns.
With drivers and fans today leaving Albert Park without even seeing a Formula One car hit the track, Australian Grand Prix chief executive Andrew Westacott said spectators would get their money back.
“We are going to work through with the fans on the refunds applicable to their ticketing arrangements,” he said. “We are saddened for the fans.”
Formula One chair Chase Carey said infection of the McLaren team member was a major driver in the decision to call the race of but defended allowing teams into Melbourne in the first place.
“It was a joint decision, the FIA, our Australian partners, ourselves, certainly input from the teams,” he said.
“As would be expected, there were a range of views, we’re dealing with things real time, in a very difficult, challenging situation … but I think we got to the right place and I believe we all agree we made the right decision.”
A “devastated” Daniel Ricciardo apologised to fans, but the Aussie Formula One star said cancelling the Melbourne event was the right thing to do.
“I’m devastated I can’t compete at my home GP here in Melbourne and get the season started,” he wrote.
“Ultimately though the right decision has been made and I think everyone can understand this is something we’ve never seen before.
“Sorry to all fans who came out for the support. Much love.”
Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton today said: “Sadly, this is the right decision. The reality is, this is really serious with people dying every day.”
Grand Prix chairman Paul Little said he felt for fans who had been looking forward to the event.
“To our race fans, I’d like to say we are terribly disappointed that the event can’t go ahead,” he said.
“The reasons for that are well known … sorry to our fans and the health and safety and welfare of teams and people, the community generally has to take precedent.”
He said thousands of fans who spent hours outside the circuit this morning were not told to go home because event staff were still taking advice from medical experts.
A group of 600 suppliers and 12,000 staff managing everything from food and drinks to transport and logistics will also be affected by the move.
Hospitality staff earlier told the Herald Sun they were “constantly checking their phones” for reports of the event’s cancellation.
Confused staff said they were worried about not being paid if there were no crowds to serve.
“Everyone is checking now, but nobody knows,” said a female worker at a hospitality tent at the Albert Park venue.
“I doubt anyone thought it would be cancelled, but even fewer would have thought they would hold this thing and have no one here live to watch. That’s why we are here, and we are already set up ready to go.”
She was angry the call was made “literally at the last minute”.
FURIOUS FANS BOO ANNOUNCEMENT
Frustrated and disappointed fans have unleashed on Grand Prix organisers, drowning out the official announcement with loud boos.
An official with a megaphone delivered the news about 10.15am and thanked fans for their “understanding”.
It was met with angry cries of “we’re not understanding” and “we want a refund”.
“I’m sorry everyone, the whole event has been cancelled, there is nothing we can do,” the official said.
Sarah Harvey said she sat in the stands every year with people from New Zealand and Singapore “so they are going to have paid huge amounts for nothing”.
The lack of information was the worst thing, she said.
“We had to find out from Twitter, not from the organisers and have been waiting here for hours in the line,” Ms Harvey.
Raphael Zink, 27, came to Melbourne from Germany especially for the event.
“I’m pissed off. There was such a big delay from the McLaren news until this, nothing at all from the F1 for fans.”
The axing comes after spectators were this morning told they would not be allowed to attend this weekend’s event in Melbourne.
Premier Daniel Andrews this morning said fans would be barred from entering the Albert Park track.
“I understand that’s deeply frustrating, there’ll be a lot of disruption … this is a difficult time, this is a very serious set of circumstances,” he said.
“If we don’t do everything we can to reduce the number of people who get the virus, then we will only add to the number of people — particularly vulnerable people who finish up gravely ill.
“In other words, if we don’t take all necessary steps, more people will die. That is not something any of us should settle for.”
TEAMS BACK DECISION TO AXE F1 GP
Formula One giants Ferrari and Mercedes have supported the decision to cancel the Australian Grand Prix.
Mercedes said it had sent a letter to the FIA and Formula One requesting the cancellation of the opening race of the season at Albert Park.
The team’s six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton yesterday attacked race authorities for pushing on with plans for the race to go ahead.
“I am really, really surprised that we are here,” he said.
“I think it’s great that we have races but for me it’s shocking that we are here sitting in this room.
“There are so many fans here already here today and it looks like the rest of the world is reacting, probably a little bit late.”
The teams in the Formula One paddock have started to pack up to leave the circuit.
Ferrari said the safety of all of its team members was its top priority.
“Scuderia Ferrari fully supports the decision taken by the FIA and Formula One 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 team said in a statement.
“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.”
Mercedes said it felt it could not guarantee the health of its team members if the race had gone ahead as planned.
McLaren pulled out of the Australian Grand Prix late on Thursday night after one of its team members tested positive to the coronavirus.
“We share the disappointment of the sport’s fans that this race cannot go ahead as planned,” Mercedes said in a statement.
“However, the physical and mental health and wellbeing of our team members and of the wider Formula One community are our absolute priority.
“In light of the force majeure events we are experiencing with regards to the coronavirus pandemic, we no longer feel the safety of our employees can be guaranteed if we continue to take part in the event.
“We empathise strongly with the worsening situation in Europe … especially in Italy, and furthermore we do not feel it would be right to participate in an event where fellow competitors such as McLaren are unable to do so through circumstances beyond their control.”
Red Bull Racing said its focus was now on ensuring its team members returned home quickly and safely.
“Following confirmation from Formula One, the FIA and AGPC that the Australian Grand Prix has been cancelled, and in light of the force majeure events we are experiencing with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team’s focus now shifts to ensuring that all personnel return home as safely and quickly as possible and that all necessary precautions are taken in line with Government and World Health Organisation guidelines,” the team said in a statement.
“We share the disappointment of Formula One fans, but the safety of the teams, fans, media and circuit staff remains of absolute priority. We now await further information from the FIA on the status of future races.”
QUEUE CONFUSION AMONG FANS
A queue of 50 punters lined up at gate one ahead of opening at 8.45am. Two men were seen wearing face masks.
The Charles family from Wantirna said they were “very disappointed” at the news.
Scott and Carla Charles had to console their tearful children, Cooper and Teagan, this morning when they delivered the news the event may be off.
The family of four made the trek into Albert Park anyway and have queued from 8.30am this morning.
“We are very disappointed, we look forward to it every year,” Mr Charles said.
“We had tears this morning. What can you do, it is what it is. If it wasn’t for the fans, it wouldn’t go ahead. It’s a shame, really.”
Coburg father-and-son Tony and Michael Sebastiani are “huge fans” of the sport and turned up to the track before this morning’s announcement.
“It’s out of control (coronavirus). You don’t know who to believe,” Tony said.
“Even the drivers wouldn’t sign anything yesterday, it was the first time that had happened.
“Every year you get to interact with them (the drivers) and it was sad we couldn’t do that. We 100 per cent want it to go on.”
Tony Phillips and his three relatives flew from Gladstone in Queensland to attend the Grand Prix.
“We’ve spent $6000 to be here,” he said. “It has been poor communication from the event, we have heard nothing.
“We would be disappointed. The horse has already bolted.
“We are not worried about getting sick, it is a complete over-reaction. If you’re worried, don’t come.”
The Australian GP was thrown into chaos earlier on Thursday after McLaren pulled out when one of its team members tested positive for the virus.
The team member was tested and isolated after showing symptoms of the virus on Wednesday.
Australian Grand Prix: Punters lining up at Gate 1 this morning ahead of gates opening at 8.45am. @theheraldsun #AusGP pic.twitter.com/parjO739vf
— Brianna Travers (@briannatravers) March 12, 2020
In a statement, McLaren said the decision to pull out of the Grand Prix was “based on a duty of care not only to McLaren Formula One employees and partners, but also to the team’s competitor’s Formula One fans and wider Formula One stakeholders”.
Four Haas team members, also sent for tests after showing virus symptoms, have been cleared.
Three other people working at the Albert Park circuit who were sent for testing also tested negative.
But a ninth person is still awaiting test results.
They are not associated with any Formula One team, the FIA or associated suppliers.
It left just nine teams in Sunday’s race.
Fans and drivers were earlier urged to avoid shaking hands at the Albert Park circuit and hand sanitiser and washing stations had been set up around the site.
ALL-STAR MILE TO CONTINUE AMID CANCELLATIONS
The other big sporting event in Melbourne this weekend — the All-Star Mile meeting at Caulfield tomorrow — will proceed as scheduled.
Racing Victoria chief executive Giles Thompson has confirmed the nine-race meeting will go ahead as planned.
The Melbourne Racing Club said it is “taking considered action to ensure the safety, health and wellbeing of our patrons for the All-Star Mile”.
But the Formula One’s move will place further pressure on the AFL, ahead of next week’s season-opener between Richmond and Carlton which typically attracts more than 80,000 to the MCG.
Before the announcement, Mr Andrews this morning flagged the prospect of running the race with fans in the stands.
He said there was also no guarantee fans would be allowed at AFL matches as anxiety grows about the spread of the deadly virus.
“I know it’s deeply frustrating not to be able to tell you whether there will be footy next week,” he said. “I’m simply not in a position to do that.
“I’ve been clear all week that this would be disruptive, we would be asking of Victorians and indeed Australians things they have never been asked before.”
The Formula One’s move follows the tide of the sporting world after a series of events were cancelled or delayed on Thursday in response to the deadly disease.
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The NBA swiftly moved to suspend the season for all teams “until further notice” after All-Star centre Rudy Gobert tested positive to the virus.
A second player, All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, has also tested positive.
Meanwhile, Cricket Australia is continuing to watch developments ahead of a three-match ODI series with New Zealand starting in Sydney on Friday, with that match, a second in Sydney on Sunday and next week in Hobart still set to go ahead at present.
But the Sydney game will be played without a crowd.
AFL players have been cautioned about going to restaurants and other busy places, as clubs went into full lockdown to protect their stars from the deadly virus.
While the league is still hopeful its Round 1 matches will go ahead as planned, early-season games will almost certainly be played in front of empty stands.
The NRL has taken measures to limit contact between fans and players in a statement released to all 16 clubs on the eve of this year’s competition.
Australia’s participation at next month’s Fed Cup finals has also been put on ice after world tennis chiefs postponed the event in Hungary over coronavirus fears.
All sports in Italy have been suspended until April 3, including Serie A football, but Champions League and Europa League matches are under the jurisdiction of UEFA.
The start of the Major League Baseball season later this month is likewise under threat.
MORE CORONAVIRUS NEWS
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WHAT CORONAVIRUS MEANS FOR AFL BROADCASTS, INTERVIEWS
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— Additional reporting: Tamsin Rose, Grant McArthur and Tom Minear
Originally published as Australian Grand Prix cancellation to cost Australian taxpayers millions