AUSTRALIAN F1 IN 2020 “IMPRACTICAL”

Australian F1 in 2020 “Impractical” – Photo: LAT

It’s never been formally confirmed by the organiser of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix but you can take it as fact that it will be at least March 2021 before Formula One cars race again in Australia.

By BRUCE NEWTON

And in a shock new development, there is a possibility the Australian F1 Grand Prix at Albert Park could complete a hybrid 2020-2021 calendar rather than start a new championship season.

“That’s one of a myriad scenarios,” Australian Grand Prix Corporation Chief Executive Officer Andrew Westacott told Auto Action in an exclusive interview. “First and last (on the calendar) are both very sought after positions.”

Westacott was speaking in his first extended media interview since that fateful Friday, March 13 decision to call off the 2020 AGP because of the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the event was cancelled, Westacott and AGPC chairman Paul Little shied away that day from declaring it no chance a Formula One race would run at Albert Park sometime later in 2020.

Westacott’s still not willing to state that emphatically, but there’s no doubt it won’t be happening.

“You soon come to the conclusion it’s a costly, impractical exercise,” Westacott said. “Now we have always never said never, but you look at it in a logical fashion and it appears an unreasonable scenario.”

A major issue at the core of it all is the reality the temporary circuit has just about been deconstructed.

To run again in 2020 – a big if considering the coronavirus and the implications of crowd bans and quarantines that come with it – the circuit would have to be rebuilt again, then deconstructed, then rebuilt for March 2021 and deconstructed again.

Each time that process costs about $28 million.

Overlaying all that is the likelihood the recast F1 calendar will be compressed with multiple GPs running on back-to-back weekends. F1 has already cancelled or postponed every race out to mid-June.

“If you are going to have to conduct races with a changed schedule that’s much easier to achieve in venues that are built and homologated for permanent Formula One racing,” Westacott said.

“The eight-nine week build and four-to-five week dismantle – plus one in the middle – is a 14 to 15 week impost on Albert Park and then we’d have the 2021 season…”

Westacott said the concept of running the AGP as a hybrid season finale was not one he’d heard about until it was put to him by AA. He made the point discussions regarding 2021 dates had been severely disrupted by the coronavirus.

“We haven’t had conversations recently about the 2021 calendar,” Westacott revealed. “We clearly have had those earlier on where we were talking about the season normally starting in March.

“The expectation is that we would still have that as a March start, but this COVID virus throws up different challenges.

“For the positioning for Melbourne the March date is still what we want to have for the start of the 2021 season. But no-one wants to get ahead of themselves in terms of what the virus is all about.”

Westacott talks exclusively at length about the ramifications and costs of the F1 AGP cancellation in this week’s AUTO ACTION, on sale this Thursday.

The digital edition will be available online on Wednesday evening.

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