Why can the “Australian Open” tennis tournament take place in Melbourne, but the Formula 1 GP not? Martin Pakula, Sports Minister of the State of Victoria: “It’s because of the quarantine regulation.”
The Formula 1 season start in Australia has failed, the traditional GP cannot take place on March 21st and should be rescheduled on November 21st. According to a decision by the government of the Australian state of Victoria, this was confirmed on January 12th by “Formula One Management” and the international auto sport association FIA. The question arises: Why is the car race being postponed if the famous “Australian Open” tennis tournament continues in Melbourne? Qualification for this is currently taking place.
The organizer “Tennis Australia”, ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) and WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) negotiated with the authorities of the state of Victoria for weeks, the possible date for an entry permit was pushed back several times. Players arrived on charter flights from several specified locations. They then have to comply with the mandatory quarantine, two weeks according to the regulations in Australia. Certain hotels are intended for this.
Not everyone is enthusiastic about this. Residents of 36 penthouse suites at the Westin Hotel in Melbourne are protesting against the quarantined athletes being housed in their home. The owner company is of the opinion that they were not informed beforehand. Hotel manager Stephen Ferringo contradicts and asserts that the owners have been informed. In addition, many precautionary measures were taken. Ferringo: “The residents of the Westin Melbourne will have no contact with staff or guests, they will use separate entrances and elevators. Your floor will remain exclusive, and there will be no mixing of the ventilation between the floors. “
How well this works was shown at the US Open in August and September 2020: There was a mix of normal guests and tennis players there. A wedding was even held in a player hotel in the Big Apple.
Martin Pakula, Minister of Sport of Victoria, says about the postponement of the Grand Prix: “The crux of the matter was the 14-day quarantine. The tennis association has agreed that this isolation period will be observed, for several thousand Formula 1 employees this is not possible because motorsport is more complicated. It wasn’t so much about people not wanting to go into isolation, it just turned out to be – preparing for the season and the race is a bit difficult when all the specialists are sitting in a hotel for two weeks. Too much has to be done before the World Cup kicks off. “
“In discussions between the health authorities, Formula One management, the international auto sport federation and race organizers, we came to the conclusion that the best solution is to only hold the race in November.”
«We are convinced that the situation around Corona will be much better in ten months. By then we should be so far in terms of vaccination that the 14-day rule hopefully no longer has to be observed. “
Pakula emphasizes: The Melbourne GP should return to its original place in 2022, as the start of the season.
The Formula 1 World Cup will – if the Corona situation permits – start on March 28th with the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Provisional Formula 1 calendar 2021
Winter tests: 12. – 14. March in Sakhir, Bahrain
March 28: Sakhir, Bahrain
18. April: Imola, Italien
02. May: Termin offen (ev. Portimão, Portugal)
09. May: Barcelona, Spain
23. Never: Monte Carlo, Monaco
June 6th: Baku, Azerbaijan
13. June: Montreal, Canada
June 27: Le Castellet, France
July 4th: Spielberg, Austria
July 18th: Silverstone, UK
August 01: Budapest, Hungary
August 29th: Spa, Belgium
September 5th: Zandvoort, Netherlands
12. September: Monza, Italien
September 26: Sochi, Russia
October 03: Singapore, Singapore
October 10: Suzuka, Japan
October 24: Austin, USA
October 31: Mexico City, Mexico
7. November: São Paulo, Brasilien
21. November: Melbourne, Australien
December 5th: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
12. Dezember: Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi
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