Australian GP in limbo after virus-hit McLaren pull out

MELBOURNE • The Australian Grand Prix is in doubt after the McLaren team withdrew from the Formula One season opener yesterday following confirmation that a team member had been infected with the coronavirus.

On the eve of the first practice session at the Albert Park street circuit in Melbourne, it was the only positive result from tests on eight paddock personnel, including four of the Haas team in quarantine.

McLaren said in a statement: "The team has prepared for this eventuality and has ongoing support in place for its employee who will now enter a period of quarantine. The team is cooperating with the relevant local authorities to assist their investigations."

The Australian Grand Prix Corporation said in a statement that a ninth individual "not associated with any F1 team, the FIA or associated suppliers" had also been assessed and that result was pending.

The organiser added that it was in discussions about the broader implications of the positive test, while F1 said it was coordinating with the relevant authorities on the next steps.

Both Haas and McLaren are based in Britain, which has seen 460 infections and eight deaths.

Australia has reported 126 cases and three deaths. Among those infected by the Covid-19 disease are fans who attended the women's T20 Cricket World Cup final and a Super Rugby match, both in Melbourne last week.

Victoria state's top health official, Dr Brett Sutton, had earlier warned that positive tests in the paddock could lead to the race being scrapped.

"If (the tests) turn up positive, we need to consider what it means for their close contacts and if they have a number of close contacts across a number of crews, then those individuals need to be quarantined," he told Melbourne radio station 3AW.

"If that effectively shuts down the race, then so be it, we'll make that call."

Even if the event went ahead, McLaren's withdrawal would throw the status of the Australian GP as a world championship race into doubt. Ross Brawn, F1's sporting director, has previously suggested that if a team could not compete because of the coronavirus, the meeting would not be considered part of the championship.

The Chinese GP, which was scheduled for April, has been postponed while the Bahrain GP, the second stop in the F1 calendar, has banned fans from the March 22 race.

At press time, the Australian GP still had the green light to proceed and Mercedes' world champion Lewis Hamilton said yesterday he was "very surprised".

"You have seen this morning with (US President Donald) Trump shutting down the border to Europe to the States, the NBA suspended, yet Formula One continues to go on," he said at an official pre-race press conference packed with media.

Asked why he felt the race was still on, he replied: "Cash is king."

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, THE GUARDIAN