2020 Australian Grand Prix

{{Infobox Grand Prix race report

| Type = F1

| Country = Australia

| Grand Prix = Australian

| Details ref =

| Date = Planned for 15 March

| Year = 2020

| Race_No =

| Season_No = 17{{efn|There were 22 Grands Prix included in the 2020 calendar; however, several Grands Prix were postponed or cancelled.{{cite news|url=https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-13/f1-grand-prix-in-china-postponed-due-to-coronavirus-fears/11960614|title=Coronavirus fears force the postponement of the F1 Grand Prix in China in April|work=abc.net.au|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=13 February 2020|accessdate=13 February 2020}}}}

| Next_round =

| Image = Albert_Lake_Park_Street_Circuit_in_Melbourne,_Australia.svg

| image-size = 270px

| Caption = Layout of the Albert Park Circuit

| Official name = Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix 2020

| Location = Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne, Australia

| Course = Temporary street circuit

| Course_km = 5.303

| Course_mi = 3.295

| Scheduled_laps = 58

| Scheduled_km = 307.574

| Scheduled_mi = 191.118

}}

The 2020 Australian Grand Prix (formally known as the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix 2020) was a Formula One motor race that was due to be held on 15 March 2020 in Melbourne, Victoria. The race was to be contested at the Albert Park Circuit and was intended to be the first round of the 2020 Formula One World Championship. Hours before the first practice session was due to begin, the event was cancelled in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.

The race would have been the 85th race in the combined history of the Australian Grand Prix, which dates back to the 100 Miles Road Race of 1928, as well as the 25th time the event had been held at the Albert Park circuit and the 36th time the Australian Grand Prix had been a part of the Formula One World Championship.

Lewis Hamilton initially entered the round as the defending World Drivers' Champion and his team, Mercedes, was the defending World Constructors' Champions. His teammate Valtteri Bottas was due to be defending race winner.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/47600736|title=Valtteri Bottas wins Australian GP after Lewis Hamilton overtake|date=17 March 2019|work=BBC Sport|accessdate=15 February 2020}}

Background

In December 2019, the Australian Grand Prix was officially confirmed as the first of twenty-two races of the originally planned 2020 Formula One World Championship at an FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in Paris. The race was due to take place at the sixteen-turn, {{convert|5.303|km|mi|abbr=on}} Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, Victoria, on 15 March 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.record-breaking-22-race-f1-calendar-set-for-2020.7vdbREiAYJKP5Ey8whglC2.html|title=Record-breaking 22 race F1 calendar set for 2020|date=29 August 2019|website=formula1.com|accessdate=29 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190829083653/https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.record-breaking-22-race-f1-calendar-set-for-2020.7vdbREiAYJKP5Ey8whglC2.html|archive-date=29 August 2019|url-status=live}}

= Entrants =

Initially, ten teams each with two drivers entered the race.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/decision-document/2020%20Australian%20Grand%20Prix%20-%20Entry%20List.pdf|title=2020 Australian Grand Prix – Entry List|last=|first=|date=12 March 2020|publisher=Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200516151126/https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/decision-document/2020%20Australian%20Grand%20Prix%20-%20Entry%20List.pdf |archive-date=16 May 2020 |accessdate=12 March 2020}} Scuderia AlphaTauri were due to compete for the first time after the rebranding of Scuderia Toro Rosso.{{cite news|url=https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/146617/toro-rosso-name-change-for-2020-approved|title=Toro Rosso's name change approved for 2020 Formula 1 season|first=Scott|last=Mitchell|work=autosport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|date=16 October 2019|accessdate=16 October 2019|url-access=limited|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191016120054/https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/146617/toro-rosso-name-change-for-2020-approved|archive-date=16 October 2019|url-status=live}} Esteban Ocon was due to return to the championship, replacing Nico Hülkenberg at Renault.{{cite web|url=https://www.renaultsport.com/esteban-ocon-joins-renault-f1-team.html|title=Esteban Ocon joins Renault F1 Team|date=29 August 2019|accessdate=29 August 2019|work=renaultsport.com|publisher=Renault Sport|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190829121216/https://www.renaultsport.com/esteban-ocon-joins-renault-f1-team.html|archive-date=29 August 2019|url-status=live}} Nicholas Latifi was scheduled to make his Grand Prix race debut with Williams, taking the seat previously filled by Robert Kubica.{{cite web|url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.latifi-to-williams-for-2020-f2-racer-replaces-kubica.3GkU6EaImKmzKt6qZU0eiF.html|title=Latifi to Williams for 2020: F2 racer replaces Kubica|date=28 November 2019|website=formula1.com|accessdate=28 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191128091835/https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.latifi-to-williams-for-2020-f2-racer-replaces-kubica.3GkU6EaImKmzKt6qZU0eiF.html|archive-date=28 November 2019|url-status=live}}

Mission Winnow, the title sponsor of Ferrari, was banned from the race as it did not comply with local laws governing tobacco sponsorship.{{cite web|author=Matteo Senatore|url=https://www.formulapassion.it/motorsport/formula-1/f1-team/ferrari-niente-mission-winnow-a-melbourne-f1-2020-leclerc-vettel-phillip-morris-485505.html|title=Ferrari, niente Mission Winnow a Melbourne|date=9 March 2020|language=it|accessdate=12 March 2020|website=formulapassion.it}}

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

{{see also|2020 Formula One World Championship#Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic|COVID-19 pandemic in Australia|Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports}}

The weeks before the Grand Prix saw several major sporting events either cancelled or postponed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was declared a pandemic by World Health Organization on 12 March. The Chinese Grand Prix had already been postponed several weeks prior and would later be cancelled altogether.{{efn|Other motorsport events affected included the World Endurance Championship,{{Cite web|url=https://www.autosport.com/wec/news/148627/sebring-wec-round-cancelled|title=Sebring WEC round cancelled after US imposes Europe travel ban|first=David|last=Malsher|website=Autosport.com|date=12 March 2020 }} the MotoGP World Championship,{{Cite web|url=https://www.autosport.com/motogp/news/148505/qatar-motogp-race-cancelled-due-to-coronavirus|title=Qatar MotoGP race cancelled due to coronavirus|first=Lewis|last=Duncan|website=Autosport.com|date=March 2020 |accessdate=3 March 2020}} the World Touring Car Cup,{{Cite web|url=https://www.motorsport.com/wtcr/news/wtcr-april-opener-coronavirus-hungary/4745898/|title=WTCR's April opener cancelled due to coronavirus|website=Motorsport.com|date=13 March 2020 |language=en|accessdate=13 March 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.fia.com/news/wtcr-race-hungary-statement|title=WTCR race of Hungary statement|date=13 March 2020|website=Federation Internationale de l'Automobile|language=en|accessdate=13 March 2020}} the Formula E championship,{{cite news|url=https://www.motorsport.com/formula-e/news/fe-china-sanya-eprix-coronavirus/4679553/amp/|title=Formula E postpones China race amid virus outbreak|first=Alex|last= Kalinauckas|date=2 February 2020|accessdate=2 February 2020|website=motorsport.com}} the World Rally Championship,{{Cite web|url=https://www.motorsport.com/wrc/news/argentina-rally-postponed-coronavirus/4745493/|title=Rally Argentina postponed due to coronavirus pandemic|website=Motorsport.com|language=en|accessdate=13 March 2020|archive-date=7 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200507235158/https://www.motorsport.com/wrc/news/argentina-rally-postponed-coronavirus/4745493/|url-status=dead}} the Japanese Super Formula championship,{{Cite web|url=https://www.autosport.com/other/news/148509/coronavirus-postpones-super-formula-opener|title=Coronavirus postpones Super Formula season-opener|first=Jamie|last=Klein|website=Autosport.com|date=2 March 2020 |accessdate=3 March 2020}} and the IndyCar Series.{{Cite web|url=https://www.indycar.com/News/2020/03/03-12-StPete-Race|title=Official Statement From INDYCAR|website=IndyCar.com|accessdate=13 March 2020}}}}

The Victorian Department of Health announced that the Australian Grand Prix would go ahead as planned;{{Cite web|url=https://www.speedcafe.com/2020/03/02/australian-gp-boss-reaffirms-all-systems-go-for-f1-race/|title=Australian GP boss reaffirms 'all systems go' for F1 race|date=2 March 2020|accessdate=3 March 2020}} Italian-based teams Ferrari and AlphaTauri expressed concern, as the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy was one of the worst outbreaks of the virus outside China.{{Cite web|url=https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/148478/ferrari-wants-assurances-over-coronavirus-from-f1|title=Ferrari wants assurances over coronavirus from F1 before travel|first=Jonathan|last=Noble|website=Autosport.com|date=28 February 2020 |accessdate=3 March 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/148508/tost-unfair-if-australia-goes-ahead-without-all-teams|title=Tost: Unfair if Australia goes ahead without all F1 teams|first=Jonathan|last=Noble|website=Autosport.com|date=2 March 2020 |accessdate=3 March 2020}} As the Australian Government did not initially implement a travel ban for Italy the way it had for China, Iran, and South Korea,{{Cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-05/coronavirus-travel-ban-korea-italy-china-iran/12027348|title=South Korea added to Australia's coronavirus travel ban list, restrictions for travellers from Italy|newspaper=ABC News|date=5 March 2020 |accessdate=5 March 2020}}{{efn|The Australian government introduced a travel ban for Italy on 11 March, after teams and their personnel had left the country for Melbourne.{{Cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-11/coronavirus-australian-travel-ban-extended-to-italy/12045064|title=Italy added to Australia's coronavirus travel ban alongside China, Iran, South Korea|newspaper=ABC News|date=10 March 2020 |accessdate=11 March 2020}}}} Ferrari and AlphaTauri were concerned over the ability of their staff to leave the quarantine zone established in northern Italy. Ross Brawn, the managing director of the sport, announced that Grands Prix would not go ahead if a team were blocked from entering a host nation, but added that a race could take place if a team voluntarily chose not to enter a host nation.{{Cite web|url=https://www.speedcafe.com/2020/03/04/f1-would-not-race-if-team-not-allowed-into-country/|title=F1 would not race if team not allowed into country|date=3 March 2020|accessdate=4 March 2020}}

Organisers of the Bahrain Grand Prix, which was originally scheduled to take place one week after the Australian race, announced that spectators would not be permitted to attend the event. Organisers of the Australian Grand Prix opted against similar measures, instead moving to minimise contact between spectators and competitors. The rule was also applied to competitors in support categories, including the Supercars Championship, S5000 Championship, and the TCR Asia-Pacific Cup, which was to be held as a non-championship round of the TCR Australia Series.{{Cite web|url=https://www.speedcafe.com/2020/03/10/breaking-f1-to-limit-driver-fan-contact-amid-coronavirus/|title=F1 to limit driver-fan contact amid coronavirus|date=10 March 2020|website=Speedcafe|accessdate=11 March 2020}}

Five crew members, four from Haas and one from McLaren, were entered into quarantine upon arriving in Melbourne when they displayed flu-like symptoms.{{Cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-11/formula-one-team-members-quarantined-due-to-coronavirus-fears/12047494|title=Formula One team members quarantined due to coronavirus fears at Australian Grand Prix|newspaper=ABC News|date=11 March 2020 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.speedcafe.com/2020/03/12/haas-adopting-wait-and-see-approach-on-coronavirus-results/|title=Haas adopting wait and see approach on coronavirus results|date=12 March 2020}} All five of them were tested for COVID-19 and the results came out negative for the Haas members but positive for the McLaren member. McLaren made the announcement on Thursday evening and withdrew from the race.{{cite web |last1=Collantine |first1=Keith |title=Mclaren pulls out of Australian Grand Prix |url=http://www.racefans.net/2020/03/12/mclaren-pulls-out-of-australian-grand-prix/ |website=RaceFans |accessdate=12 March 2020|date=12 March 2020}} A photographer later entered isolation as well.{{cite web|url=https://www.speedcafe.com/2020/03/12/photographer-latest-to-go-into-self-isolation-at-australian-gp/|title=Photographer latest to go into self-isolation at Australian GP|website=speedcafe.com|date=12 March 2020}} Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews was criticised for allowing the Grand Prix to go ahead; he responded by saying that cancelling the race would be a disproportionate reaction to the advice the state government had been given. Formula One drivers Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Räikkönen were also critical of the decision to hold the race, citing the National Basketball Association's decision to indefinitely suspend its 2019–20 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/148626/hamilton-f1-decision-to-race-in-australia-shocking|title=Hamilton: F1 decision to hold Australian Grand Prix "shocking"|first=Jonathan Noble, Alex Kalinauckas, Andrew van|last=Leeuwen|website=Autosport.com|date=12 March 2020 }} Daniel Andrews announced that spectators would be banned from attending if the Grand Prix were to go ahead, before the race was cancelled on the Friday morning a few hours before the Formula One cars were due to commence their first practice session.{{Cite web|url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.formula-1-fia-and-agpc-announce-cancellation-of-the-2020-australian-grand.KKpXZDcd77WbO6T0MGoO7.html|title=Formula 1, FIA and AGPC announce cancellation of the 2020 Australian Grand Prix {{!}} Formula 1|website=Formula1.com|language=en|accessdate=12 March 2020}} It subsequently emerged that only three teams—Red Bull Racing, its sister team Scuderia AlphaTauri and Racing Point—were willing to compete if the race went ahead.{{Cite web|url=https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/148644/three-teams-were-willing-to-race-in-australia|title=Three F1 teams were willing to race in cancelled Australian Grand Prix|last=Cooper|first=Adam|date=12 March 2020|website=Autosport.com|accessdate=13 March 2020}} After the cancellation, a further fourteen team members from McLaren were put into quarantine.{{Cite web|url=https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/148646/14-more-mclaren-staff-quarantined-in-melbourne|title=14 more McLaren F1 staff quarantined after coronavirus case contact|last=Smith|first=Luke|date=13 March 2020|website=Autosport.com|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200323132351/https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/148646/14-more-mclaren-staff-quarantined-in-melbourne |archive-date=23 March 2020 |accessdate=16 March 2020}}

All support category events were also cancelled. These had conducted practice and qualifying sessions on the Thursday, along with a singular race for the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia series. A two-seater Minardi also performed some demonstration runs early on the Friday morning.{{Cite web |title=2021 Australian Grand Prix |url=https://www.grandprix.com.au/event/track-schedule |url-status=dead |access-date=29 March 2022 |website=Grandprix.com.au |archive-date=11 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511162710/https://www.grandprix.com.au/event/track-schedule }}{{Cite web |date=12 March 2020 |title=Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix Cancelled |url=https://www.sen.com.au/news/2020/03/12/report-australian-grand-prix-to-go-ahead-as-planned-as-confusion-reigns |access-date=29 March 2022 |website=Sen.com.au}}

The 2020 season would eventually start with the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in July 2020.{{Cite web|last=Kapoor|first=Rahul|date=3 July 2020|title=2020 Formula 1 season finally resumes: 6 things to look out for at the Austrian GP|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/auto/motor-sports/2020-formula-1-season-finally-resumes-5-things-to-look-out-for-at-the-austrian-gp-mercedes-ferrari-vettel-sainz-raikkonen-covid-19-red-bull-williams/2012632/|url-status=live|access-date=20 January 2021|website=The Financial Express|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815173930/https://www.financialexpress.com/auto/motor-sports/2020-formula-1-season-finally-resumes-5-things-to-look-out-for-at-the-austrian-gp-mercedes-ferrari-vettel-sainz-raikkonen-covid-19-red-bull-williams/2012632/ |archive-date=15 August 2020 }}

= Attempt to reschedule =

Shortly after the cancellation, organisers announced that they planned to reschedule the race for later in the year. Several more Grands Prix were cancelled or postponed and the start of the championship delayed until July. A new calendar with eight races was eventually published, but the Australian Grand Prix was not included; however, Liberty Media announced that they intended to hold as many as fifteen races. In June 2020, federal tourism minister Simon Birmingham announced that the Australian government expected that the country's borders would be closed to international travel until 2021.{{cite news|url=https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-17/borders-likely-closed-until-next-year-coronavirus-restrictions/12365978|title=Australian borders likely to stay closed until next year, Tourism Minister says|first=Jade|last=Macmillan|work=abc.net.au|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=17 June 2020|accessdate=17 June 2020}} The race was never rescheduled for the 2020 season, with the 2021 event moved from the traditional March date to November, before being cancelled for a second consecutive year.{{Cite web |last=Fogarty |first=Mark |date=1 April 2021 |title=$20 million upgrade for AGP track |url=https://autoaction.com.au/2021/04/01/20-million-upgrade-for-agp-track |access-date=29 March 2022 |website=AutoAction}}

After a two-year absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 edition came back in April as the third round of the championship on a new circuit layout.{{Cite web|url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.formula-1-announces-23-race-calendar-for-2022.2HcIP34fK3Zznx7YZfWL6P.html|title=Formula 1 announces 23-race calendar for 2022|website=Formula1.com|date=15 October 2021|access-date=15 October 2021}}

Lawsuit

After the cancellation of the race, World Touring Melbourne (WTM) sued the Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) for the cancellation of the event. WTM sued AGPC for $8 million as the promoter had failed the obligation and caused WTM to suffer loss and damages. The agency is seeking a total of $7.594 million for costs incurred, plus $1.128 million in lost profits. British singer Robbie Williams was scheduled to perform for the next night with fee of $1.94 million, American pop singer Miley Cyrus was also scheduled to perform during the same event. WTA stated that they were informed about the cancellation after the teleconference before the race official cancellation.{{cite news |last=Raphael |first=Angie |date=8 April 2022 |title=Expensive legal fight looming after Robbie Williams' gig was cancelled at Grand Prix in Melbourne |url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/motorsport/formula-one/expensive-legal-fight-looming-after-robbie-williams-gig-was-cancelled-at-grand-prix-in-melbourne/news-story/09c78f98605641d21c375f2984d5b4d0 |work=news.com.au |location= |access-date=}}

In front of the Supreme Court of Victoria, the defendant’s case was that the Grand Prix and the WTM Concert were cancelled on the advice, rather than the direction, of Dr Sutton, then Chief Health Officer of Victoria. It argued that the phone and email communications between the AGPC and Dr Sutton on 13 March 2020, when understood in context, evidenced Dr Sutton’s advice to cancel both events.

The Court found that AGPC represented that both the 2020 Grand Prix and the WTM Concert had been cancelled because Dr Sutton, then Chief Health Officer of Victoria had directed that both events could not proceed and that this representation was likely to mislead or deceive. The Court found that WTM relied on the representation.

The Court also found that in an email sent to WTM at 4.25pm on Friday 13 March, AGPC made a further representation that the advice given by Dr Sutton, then Chief Health Officer of Victoria, extended to other activities in the area surrounding the Grand Prix, and that this advice must be followed. It was found that this representation was contrary to a text message from Dr Sutton earlier that day which said that the decision to cancel the WTM Concert was ultimately a matter for the organisers. The Court found that this representation by AGPC was likely to mislead or deceive and that WTM relied on the representation.

Additionally, the Court found that AGPC had breached different terms of a contract with WTM. The terms breached included a right on WTM to stage the event and a corresponding obligation on AGPC to allow it to do so, an obligation for AGPC to provide a venue to WTM that was fit for purpose, and an obligation to provide a copy of the written advice of the then Chief Health Officer of Victoria, Dr Sutton.

https://www.supremecourt.vic.gov.au/areas/case-summaries/judgments/world-touring-melbourne-limited-v-australian-grand-prix-corporation A settlement amounting to $5 million after costs was reached.