Australian Grand Prix not an 'absolute certainty'

Australian minister Martin Pakula is hopeful that the Formula 1 season opening Grand Prix will take place as planned on March 15, but confesses that there is no certainty around this.

The Victoria state minister for tourism, sport and major events, Pakula said that he is confident, but not certain that the grand prix will still take place.

“All of the indications from Formula One management are that they are planning for the Grand Prix to go ahead,” said Pakula.

“The set-up is already occurring, we would be expecting machinery and teams to be arriving from today through to the end of the weekend. So we are almost at the point where everybody is going to be here within the next few days.

“But having said that, I recognise the situation is extremely dynamic and to some extent there are matters that are out of control. There are decisions made by the (government) or might be made overseas.

“I’m very hopeful and confident but I can’t say anything about it with absolute certainty."

The Chinese Grand Prix has already been postponed and there is a growing concern over the races in Bahrain and Vietnam, officials from Bahrain having requested specific details from those travelling either from or through the worst affected areas.

Brawn: 'If a team is prevented from entering a country, we can’t have a race'Ross Brawn hoping to avoid more cancellationsRead more

Ross Brawn, motorsports managing director of F1, has said that if any one team is blocked entry to a country, none will race while MotoGP have cancelled their opening two rounds in Qatar and Thailand after quarantine periods were introduced, making it impossible for the large contingent of Italian personnel to travel.

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