We are not even a month into 2021 and one of the first casualties of the sporting calendar, due to COVID-19, has been hit as the traditional Formula One season opener at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne, Australia is in danger of being postponed.
The race was due to take part on Sunday 21st March, but this is unlikely to happen because of restrictions within the country and was set to kick off a record 23 race season in which Lewis Hamilton, who is yet to sign a new deal with Mercedes for the upcoming season, would defend his title and fight for a record-breaking eighth world championship.
In an unprecedented year, he has been breaking down barriers. If equalling the great Michael Schumacher’s seven world titles, winning the BBC Sports Personality of The Year award, achieving his most career wins in F1, and having a section of Silverstone named after him wasn’t enough then a knighthood would certainly top it off.
He was named on the Queens New Year’s honours list and, in my humble opinion, it is fully deserved. It would be remiss of me not to mention the relentless campaign he has done for the Black Lives Matter movement.
He stood up when it counted – on and off the track. He, and the other drivers, will want to get back to doing what they do best - racing.
No official statement has been made from the F.I.A, Australian Grand Prix Corporation, or the Australian government but an official decision on this year’s race is expected later this month.
“In 2020 we proved that we could return to racing safely and delivered what many thoughts were impossible in March. We have set out our 2021 calendar and look forward to the return of F1 in March this year" said an Formula 1 spokesperson last week.
But isn’t Melbourne holding the Australian Open tennis tournament next month I hear you ask? Yes. Yes, they are.
The Victorian government has made a 14-day quarantine mandatory for all personnel and it's believed F1 would be subject to the same rules.
A Grand Prix would be impracticable under those conditions due to winter testing and the logistics of transporting equipment as well as personnel in and out of the country.
Those firm quarantine rules have been in place since last year, forcing all arrivals in Australia and those moving between states.
If it does get postponed, a concern will be how can you fit a race in an already congested 2021 calendar?
The most likely scenario would be having to wait until after the August summer break because of the weather in Australia.
The second half of the season starts with two triple-headers - the first in Spa-Francorchamps, Zandvoort, and Monza, followed by another in Sochi, Marina Bay, and Suzuka, separated by a week's break.
The Bahrain GP, at the Sakhir circuit on Sunday March 28, is poised to replace Australia as the curtain-raiser for the 2021 season.
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