F1 | Is March a safe date to set and confirm the Australian GP?
Despite Covid’s unsure situation, the Australian Grand Prix is aiming for confirmation in its usual slot.
The 2020 season of Formula 1 is going to be remembered more for the feeling on uncertainty than for its World Champion. The Coronavirus’ pandemic has deeply affected not only the “normal” world but the sports’ microspheres as well.
It seems that the changing situation, which we know is not over yet, is going to cast its shadow on 2021 as well.
The first Grand Prix of the Formula 1 season is indeed the Australian one, and usually it is held in mid-March. This year, though, it was eliminated because of some positive cases of Covid in the paddock. It would be reasonable to expect a lot of anticipation for next year’s edition, and there is, but the situation could remain unchanged in 2021 as well. The downunder Grand Prix of 2021 is still uncertain, as the date remains unconfirmed.
But would it be safe to put some pressure to hurry up Liberty Media to set this event?
More on the news that @SchumacherMick, @callum_ilott and @ShwartzmanRob are all to make their F1 race weekend debuts in 2020
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 29, 2020
Schumacher and Ilott are up first - at next month's Eifel Grand Prix 🇩🇪#F1 #RoadToF1 https://t.co/Cf308B6C1U
The doubtful situation is dued to Australia’s extremely strict protections against the virus. All of the interactions with abroad are eliminated and the country is experiencing right now a sort of lockdown. With such a situation going on it’s easy to understand how difficult- if not impossible at all- it might be for all the Circus’ staff to arrive there, have a fifteen-day quarantine locked down in the hotel, then racing only to self-isolate themselves again before going home.
However, despite all the odds, Prime Minister Scott Morrison hints that it would be possible to adjust some laws without eluding people’s safety.
The Australian politician just said this morning that it could be likely to change the laws about self-isolation if the people who arrive in the Kangaroos land are coming from low- risk countries. Of course the whole nation is eager to set the date in mid-March, crossing his fingers that the situation will be under control before Christmas.
However, the basis of the importance to let the Formula 1 Circus to race before Spring is about economic reasons as well. There is indeed a deal which might be already signed with Fox Sports and Seven, a TV broadcast option that is $200 million worthy. It seems that exhibitions with Supercars won’t be held in Albert Park. “We'll work through that with Fox and Seven once the event's confirmed,- CEO Sean Seamer told the media - Let's just get AGP locked in and then we can talk about the coverage."
