This weekend’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix has been officially cancelled. The news follows McLaren’s withdrawal from the race on Thursday, after one of their team members tested positive for the coronavirus.

A statement issued jointly by F1, the FIA and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, issued just 100 minutes before FP1 was due to get underway, reads:

"Following the confirmation that a member of the McLaren Racing Team has tested positive for COVID-19 and the team’s decision to withdraw from the Australian Grand Prix, Formula 1 and the FIA convened a meeting of the other nine team principals on Thursday evening. Those discussions concluded with a majority view of the teams that the race should not go ahead.

"Formula 1 and the FIA, with the full support of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) have therefore taken the decision that all Formula 1 activity for the Australian Grand Prix are cancelled.

"We appreciate this is very disappointing news for the thousands of fans due to attend the race and all ticket holders will receive a full refund and a further announcement will be communicated in due course.

"All parties took into consideration the huge efforts of the AGPC, Motorsport Australia, staff and volunteers to stage the opening round of the 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship in Melbourne, however concluded that the safety of all members of the Formula 1 family and the wider community, as well as the fairness of the competition take priority."

It's understood that the teams were divided 5-5 on whether the race should go ahead, with Daimler eventually calling on its works team and customers to opt out leaving Red Bull and AlphaTauri as the only teams still willing to race.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Pete, 13/03/2020 5:32

"Even Bernie had his shit together better than these clowns in charge!"

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2. Posted by Egalitarian, 13/03/2020 4:30

"I don't understand. Didn't the brilliant Helmut Marko say that people are overreacting and that all will be fine?For someone who sits right in the middle of the most vulnerable demographic, he sure has demonstrated hubris and stupidity on a grand scale."

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3. Posted by Max Noble, 13/03/2020 4:07

"@Simon - I’d not be surprised to see the App showing Jenson Button on provisional pole as we type... :-)"

Official: Australian Grand Prix is cancelled

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