The bullet is through the church: the first Grand Prix of this racing season has been canceled by the corona virus. We therefore have to wait a while before Max Verstappen can actually prove himself.
The Australian GP was already in jeopardy, but the decision has now been taken definitively. McLaren’s team had previously withdrawn when it was discovered that a team member had been infected with the COVID-19 virus. That decision was made after the racing stable thought it was no longer justified to participate in the first Grand Prix weekend of the season because of that contamination. “In the conversations, it emerged that a majority of teams believed the race should not proceed. The FIA ​​and Formula 1 have therefore decided to cancel all activities,” said a statement from FIA.
Over the weekend, 300,000 fans were expected around the Albert Park Circuit, increasing the chance of the virus spreading. Lewis Hamilton said earlier that he was surprised that the race would continue as usual. Now that the Grand Prix in Australia has indeed been canceled, the Grand Prix in Bahrain will be the first race on the calendar on March 22. That race will be completed without an audience. Earlier there was a streak through the Grand Prix of China, which would be held on Sunday, April 19.