The Australian Grands Prix in both Formula 1 and MotoGP have today been cancelled because of travel complications related to the coronavirus pandemic.
The country presently has a compulsory 14-day quarantine and tight border controls.
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This is the second year running that both events have been called off because of Covid-19.
The Australian Grand Prix was due to be the 21st round of the 2021 calendar, scheduled to take place at Albert Park in Melbourne on 21 November, but a replacement will now be sought.
The event had already been pushed back from its usual spot in March.
In a statement on Tuesday, Formula 1 said: “While it is disappointing we won’t be racing in Australia this season, we are confident we can deliver a 23 race season in 2021 and we have a number of options to take forward to replace the place left vacant by the Australian Grand Prix.
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By GlobalData“We will be working through the details of those options in the coming weeks and will provide further updates once those discussions are concluded.”
The Australian round of MotoGP, which was originally due to take place at Phillip Island on 24 October, will also not go ahead.
The MotoGP organisers said: “The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and resulting travel complications and logistical restrictions mean it has not been possible to confirm the viability of the event at this time, and it will therefore not feature in the 2021 calendar.”
It is hoped that Australia can return to the Formula 1 and MotoGP calendars next year, with Martin Pakula, the minister for tourism, sport and major events, saying plans for the events will begin immediately.
As a result of the cancellation of the Australian round, MotoGP has brought forward the Malaysian Grand Prix by a week to 22 to 24 October, and added a new round in Portugal, the Algarve Grand Prix in Portimao, on 5 to 7 November.
It wil be the second race at Portiamo this year after the circuit staged the Portuguese Grand Prix in April.
