AUS GRAND PRIX BOSS STATES GP IS ON FOR 2022

Australian Grand Prix Cooperation (AGPC) CEO Andrew Westacott has reiterated that Australia’s Formula 1 race will go ahead as planned in 2022.

Despite some international reports stating the event may not go ahead, both the Victorian Government and AGPC have confirmed that the event is go, go, go.

“The Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix will make its long-awaited return to Albert Park in 2022,” confirmed Westacott.

“Melbourne will be on the 2022 F1 provisional calendar, which is just days away from being released.”

International reporter Joe Saward even went as far as saying that if the event does not go ahead in 2022 it will be cut from the calendar, a simple case of three times and you’re out.

However, the Victorian Government remains committed to doing everything in its power to make sure the event goes ahead.

Concerns were that the vaccine levels nationwide and harsh international border restrictions will make it impossible to hold an event, however these two points are now outdated with plans to start re-opening for international travel in November this year.

“We’re committed to the Australian Grand Prix and with vaccination rates rising daily, we look forward to hosting a successful race at Albert Park in 2022,” a government spokesperson said in a statement.

Australia has a contract to hold the race until 2025 and the Victorian Government remains committed to hosting the historic race in its capital.

As previously reported by AUTO ACTION the Australian Grand Prix is likely to be the third round of the 2022 season, losing its traditional first-round slot.

The last two Australian Grand Prix events have been cancelled, with the first occurring on the Friday of the 2020 round as teams prepared to take to the track.

It was called off after two McLaren mechanics tested positive for COVID-19.

In 2021 the Australian Grand Prix was set to return to the F1 calendar, however due to a slow vaccine rate nationwide, the race which was firstly pushed back to November had to be shelved once more.

The Australian Open Grand Slam is set to take place three months prior to the 2022 Grand Prix in Melbourne and means that Victorian health authorities will already be well rehearsed in the art of running an international sporting event in 2022.

With quarantine for international arrivals expected to be loosened in coming weeks it is extremely unlikely that the Formula 1 teams will have to quarantine, making the Australian Grand Prix a likely proposition.

AA understands that the Formula 1 draft calendar will be announced later on this evening.

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