Formula One’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne next Sunday is due to go ahead despite bombing in the Middle East resulting in hundreds of F1 personnel having their flights cancelled.
Many of the sport’s travelling circus of some 2,000 team and organisational staff have suddenly had to change their itineraries after Doha and Dubai – the major stopover hubs for Qatar and Emirates airlines – were shut today.
This followed Iran bombing facilities in Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE in retaliatory strikes after the United States launched what President Donald Trump called ‘major combat operations’.
After the airport closures in Doha and Dubai, F1 travellers are being moved on to flights via Hong Kong and Singapore. Some are taking up direct flights into Perth with Qantas, prior to a 3hr 35min internal connection to Melbourne.
Smoke rises in the sky in Bahrain after Iranian missiles targeted a US naval base, with the country due to host a Grand Prix there on April 12
A Formula spokesman said: ‘Our next three races are in Australia, China and Japan, not in the Middle East – those races are not for a number of weeks.
‘As always, we closely monitor any situation like this and work closely with relevant authorities.’
F1 insist the upcoming rounds in Bahrain, on April 12, and Saudi Arabia, the following week, remain on the calendar.
However, it is understood F1 bosses have contingency plans in place should the upheaval in the region necessitate a change of venue to maintain their 24-race world championship.
