Melbourne Grand Prix becomes another casualty of Aussie quarantine rules
The Australian Grand Prix scheduled for November has been called off due to the logistical challenges of getting around strict Australian border controls.
Visitors to Australia must quarantine for 14 days, a restriction expected to be in place until the end of the year, after the Government elected to pursue a ‘zero Covid’ strategy at the start of the pandemic in 2020.
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Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali said the organisation was looking for alternative venues to stage the race, ensuring a full 23-race season.
The MotoGP race scheduled for October has also been abandoned.
Australia’s vaccine rollout has slowed recently, and Greater Sydney is now back in lockdown after a small outbreak of Covid-19 cases.
That outbreak resulted in a travel corridor with New Zealand being shut.
Max Verstappen leads the Formula 1 2021 leadertable, with Lewis Hamilton in second place.
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