2021 CoVID Australian Grand Prix

[AndyMac]

Curious...

Anyone booked accomodation & airfares for the trip to the CoVID Captial ?

Friday to Monday airfares & accomodation in the city has cost $360.

Can't buy tickets yet...

Will lose the airfares if the GP doesn't happen.

Reckon they'll run it ?

[nastysven]

I reckon they will. Unless some thing stupid happens, we should have a crowd to.

[RP_Automotive]

Yeah we got our AirBnB near the circuit and are watching for ticket sales like a hawk, but it's definitely touch and go. With Winter in Europe and things going mental with COVID atm it seems like it will be a big undertaking, but perhaps it will have settled out by the time they want to travel, or the third wave will just start to hit them.

The other question is whether the Aus and Vic governments will allow it. I'd say that's probably the biggest hurdle out of the lot.

[nastysven]

if they do their quarantine, why not? Esp if they keep up the internal testing regime currently in place.

[perthdrivers.txt]

Realistically teams are going to have to quarantine a shitload of people at their expense for what, 2 weeks? Thats a big call

[36]

The 2019 event had $39m of sales revenue, whilst Gov kicked in $60m.

If it's spectator free, they lose that, offset by reduced setup and staffing etc. Take a wild guess that they reclaim a third?

Would Govco be willing to kick in ~$85m to run the race when one of the main benefits isn't going to be a thing?

Contracts may mean there isn't a choice.

[nastysven]

why would they run it crowd free? It's an open air event for the vast majority of attendees.

[RP_Automotive]

I think the two week quarantine, and the cost of it is actually fairly minuscule. The issue is that the Govco will be looking at things like the recent outbreak in SA and going 'Nup, not taking that risk'. Especially with the amount of F1 people needed. It'd be what, 500 at least that would have to come in?

36: They'll just be able to call force majure as far as contracts go - however both parties will be looking at any way to make it happen.

[36]

why would they run it crowd free? It's an open air event for the vast majority of attendees.

Worst case. A lot of water to go under the bridge.

Open air, yes, ability to maintain social distancing, no.

Hopefully it runs as per normal.

[hrd]

I can't see F1 agreeing to 2 week quarantine. That's clearly not the way they've been operating this year - they've had back to back races in different countries... and Bahrain this weekend is less than 2 weeks after Turkey.

[nastysven]

A holiday in the sun. NFI why they couldn't do something along the lines of the AFL etc.

With their testing protocols, surely there's a way.

[Astina SP]

After heading down for this year's race that didn't happen, won't be going to this.

May look towards Singapore in Sep/Oct as an option.

[Mr Ree]

I believe that it will go ahead, just with a somewhat reduced crowd and a completely different approach to seating and GA viewing areas. There will be lots of effort put into the things they can try and control like very clear signage for spacing the food, and toilets queues etc, plenty of hand sanitising stations around the venue with hand gel absolutely everywhere. Depending on the severity of the virus by then, they may try to get some buy in on people attending wearing masks when in crowded areas, which to be honest isnt much to ask.

This is all presuming that nothing crazy happens between now and then...

F1 have done a brilliant job this year to put together a 17 race calendar, so I think they will have most of the answers that AGP need to know.

[perthdrivers.txt]

I can't see F1 agreeing to 2 week quarantine. That's clearly not the way they've been operating this year - they've had back to back races in different countries... and Bahrain this weekend is less than 2 weeks after Turkey.

Theyve got away with it precisely because European countries dont all have mandatory quarantining like we have - thats why a lot of non-Euro races in both F1 and MotoGP had to be cut, because countries that dont have porous borders can set more rigid isolation regimes.

This is also why for example there were 3 races in Italy

[hrd]

Yeah, clearly. I just can't see F1 locking up al the teams and drivers for 2 weeks before a race. Their MO is to operate in team bubbles with frequent testing regimes. I think it will be their way or the highway for the Melbourne GP - this has been good enough for the rest of the world...