Three F1 team members have coronavirus symptoms
F1's coronavirus crisis is hitting a higher gear in Melbourne, with three team staff put in isolation as they suffer from symptoms.
Two McLaren staff and one who works for Haas will find out if they are infected in five days after being tested in a special isolation centre at the circuit.
But with a confirmed infection at the Albert Park hotel, and the risk that confirmed coronavirus cases within teams could throw the entire 2020 season into doubt, the situation is tense ahead of the season opener.
All over the world, sporting events have been cancelled, but apart from the Chinese GP cancellation, Formula 1 is ploughing ahead.
That is despite the fact that, after hundreds of staff for Ferrari, AlphaTauri, Brembo and Pirelli travelled to Melbourne, the Australian government finally banned all travel from Italy.
A skywriter wrote 'Stop F1' in the sky above Albert Park on Wednesday, and Formula 1 banned the drivers from carrying on with a scheduled autograph session.
"We have taken an extraordinarily big risk in order to hold a car race," said John Daley, CEO of Australian public policy think tank Grattan Institute.
"This risks taking us from a situation where we had virtually no community transmission to one where we are forced to shut down a lot of community activities to prevent a lot of people from dying," he told the Guardian.
"Actually what the government has (effectively) said is that the value of running the grand prix in Australia with a big audience is greater than the potential cost of that risk."
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My husband and I were due to go to Vietnam Grand prix but have been informed that you now require a visa to enter Vietnam from 9th March however it is impossible to get one! Our visa application was denied so we can no longer enter Vietnam and attend the Grand Prix. This information is not well advertised and we only found out because we are travelliing first to Thailand and leaving next week and then on to Vietnam. With Coronavirus now in F1 it is only a matter of time before Vietnam announce it will be cancelled due to Coronavirus and the government not issuing visas to enter the country. Fans deserve to have up to date info because of travel arrangements planned to attend the races. FIA need to be honest and upfront as soon as possible with the ever changing restrictions due to Coronavirus.
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