MELBOURNE, Australia, Mar 9 – Australian Formula One chiefs Monday ruled out any chance of the opening grand prix of the year following the lead of Bahrain and barring spectators because of the coronavirus.

On Sunday it was announced that the season’s second race in Bahrain would go ahead without fans in a bid to prevent a spread of the deadly virus that has forced a growing number of sports events to be cancelled, postponed or played behind closed doors.

But Australian Grand Prix Corporation boss Andrew Westacott said that won’t be happening in Melbourne.

“Not at all,” he told Melbourne radio station SEN when asked if barring fans was being considered.

“When you look at 86,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground last night, and the footy the week after, we’ve got to go around things sensibly and keep moving on through life while taking the necessary precautions.”

A world record crowd of 86,174 for a women’s cricket game crammed the MCG on Sunday evening to see Australia beat India in the Twenty20 World Cup final.

Big crowds are also expected for the start of the Australian Football League season later this month, despite the number of coronavirus cases rising to 93 on Monday.

Most Formula One teams are already in Australia or en route, including powerhouse Ferrari and Alpha Tauri from their bases in Italy, where swathes of the country are now in lockdown in a bid to halt the spread of the virus.

There were fears that the Australian government could bar travel from Italy, which would have prevented staff from the two teams being at the grand prix.

But it has yet to do so with travellers from Italy still granted entry with more stringent health checks.

“The interesting thing is the Italian freight. The Alpha Tauri cars and the Ferrari cars are on their way from Melbourne (airport) as we speak, so it’s really good. The key personnel are on their planes,” said Westacott.

He said the only Ferrari people not arriving from Italy were drivers Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc, who were heading from Switzerland and France respectively.

“All the others are on their way, and we’re expecting (them) in the next 12 to 24 hours.”

Westacott added that ticket sales were “very strong” with more than 300,000 fans usually flocking to Albert Park.

Victoria state Health Minister Jenny Mikakos told media the fact there had been no reported cases of community transmission of the virus meant the race could go ahead.

“At this point in time our advice around the grand prix and other public mass gathering events remains unchanged,” she said.

(Visited 7 times, 7 visits today)

%thecontent%%avatar%

%author%

%authornetworks%

%authordescription%

%authornetworks%

Comments

%sidebar%","opedarticle":"","sidead1":"ff","sidead2":"dd","sidead3":"","homestory":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More--","taxonomyitem":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More------","fixtureitem":"%name1%%score1%VS%score2%%name2%%time%","home":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn 1rn 2rn 3rn 4rn 5rn rn rn rn

Birthday boy Chager clinches Nyahururu Rally

rn rn Motorsrn rn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn Read Articlern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

More Headlines

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Are Man Utd finally on their way back to the top?rn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 1 hour ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn France v Ireland Six Nations tie off due to coronavirusrn

rn rn Rugbyrn rn rn rn 1 hour ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Njoroge crowned winner of Johnnie Walker Series finalern

rn rn Golfrn rn rn rn 3 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Liverpool’s stellar season ‘not normal’, says Milnerrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 3 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Unrest, uncertainty as Hamilton eyes Schumacher recordrn

rn rn Motorsrn rn rn rn 3 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn James and Davis combine for 58 as Lakers defeat Clippersrn

rn rn Basketballrn rn rn rn 10 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrn rn rn

Most Popular

rn

• SportPesa announce change of its global sponsorships by ALEX ISABOKE NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 17 u2013 Hours after English Premier League…
• Rudisha to make Olympics decision by May by Timothy Olobulu Kenya's 800 metres world record holder and olympic champion David…
• Road closure for Sundayu2019s Beyond Zero Marathon revealed by Keziahaoma AK President Rtd Gen Jackson Tuwei (Center) and Nairobi Traffic…
• KCB RFC winger Tony Onyango is dead by ALEX ISABOKE NAIROBI, Kenya, March 4 u2013 KCB Rugby Club winger Tony…
• Everton to terminate SportPesa contract by ALEX ISABOKE LONDON, United Kingdom, Feb 16 u2013 English Premier League side…

rn rn rn rn rn rn

All Sports

rn trn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Are Man Utd finally on their way back to the top?

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

France v Ireland Six Nations tie off due to coronavirus

rn rn rn Rugbyrn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Njoroge crowned winner of Johnnie Walker Series finale

rn rn rn Golfrn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Liverpool’s stellar season ‘not normal’, says Milner

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Australia F1 rules out fan ban in wake of Bahrain GP move

rn rn rn rn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Poll Question

rn rn ntnttnttntt

WILL ARSENAL FINISH TOP FOUR IN 2019/20 EPL SEASON?

ntt
• NO
ntt
• YES
ntt

View Results

ntnn Loading ...n rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Indian Wells becomes first big US sports casualty of virus

rn rn rn rn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Unrest, uncertainty as Hamilton eyes Schumacher record

rn rn rn Motorsrn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

James and Davis combine for 58 as Lakers defeat Clippers

rn rn rn Basketballrn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Juventus beat Inter to go top after coronavirus chaos

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Manchester United complete derby double over Man City

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Load More Storiesrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Sponsored

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Featured

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Are Man Utd finally on their way back to the top?rn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn France v Ireland Six Nations tie off due to coronavirusrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Capital Sportrn Njoroge crowned winner of Johnnie Walker Series finalern rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Liverpool’s stellar season ‘not normal’, says Milnerrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Australia F1 rules out fan ban in wake of Bahrain GP movern rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnttt","sidebar":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rntrn rn t

Most Popular

rn

• SportPesa announce change of its global sponsorships by ALEX ISABOKE NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 17 u2013 Hours after English Premier League…
• Rudisha to make Olympics decision by May by Timothy Olobulu Kenya's 800 metres world record holder and olympic champion David…
• Road closure for Sundayu2019s Beyond Zero Marathon revealed by Keziahaoma AK President Rtd Gen Jackson Tuwei (Center) and Nairobi Traffic…
• KCB RFC winger Tony Onyango is dead by ALEX ISABOKE NAIROBI, Kenya, March 4 u2013 KCB Rugby Club winger Tony…
• Everton to terminate SportPesa contract by ALEX ISABOKE LONDON, United Kingdom, Feb 16 u2013 English Premier League side…

rn rn rn rn trn rn rnrn rn rn rn t

Featured

rn rn trn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Are Man Utd finally on their way back to the top?rn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn France v Ireland Six Nations tie off due to coronavirusrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Capital Sportrn Njoroge crowned winner of Johnnie Walker Series finalern rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Liverpool’s stellar season ‘not normal’, says Milnerrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Australia F1 rules out fan ban in wake of Bahrain GP movern rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 9th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rn rn","articleerror":"

Oops...Something broke on our end

"},"messages":{"accessdenied":"Access to the account has been denied ","httperror":"Oops, something went wrong...please try again","contactgoogle":"Contacting Google","firsttime":"Seems this is your first time with this signin system. Please wait as we get your name","signinsuccess":"Cool. You're now signed in. This signin will close automatically now","pendingrequest":"Still communicating with the server","signedout":"Seems you were signed out. Try submitting again after you've been signed in","trackingerror":"Couldn't track Analytics","xhrnotconfigured":"To webmaster: Please confirm the xhr/ajax receptor is configured on the server","loadmore":"Load more stories"}}; /* ]]> */