Melbourne (AFP)

The Australian Grand Prix, which was to be held this weekend on the Melbourne circuit, was canceled due to the coronavirus epidemic, postponing the start of the Formula 1 world championship.

After long discussions between teams, organizers, International Automobile Federation (FIA) and local authorities, the cancellation of the race was announced Friday morning, just before the start of the first free practice.

It was the announcement by the Prime Minister of the State of Victoria, where Melbourne is located, to deny the public access to the circuit due to "public health requirements" which seems to have won the decision.

Previously, the majority, but not all, of the stakeholders (race organizers, F1 promoter, FIA and stable managers) had declared themselves in favor of the race not taking place during a meeting Thursday evening, told AFP a source familiar with the matter. But no official decision had been announced after several hours of discussion.

In recent days in Melbourne, eight members of the paddock have been tested for coronavirus. A member of the McLaren team turned out positive, which prompted the British team to withdraw "for the well-being not only of the employees of McLaren F1 and its partners, but also of that of its rivals, fans and all of its participants. "

Earlier Thursday, the presence in Melbourne of ten F1 teams, their twenty drivers and hundreds of other employees had caused some discomfort, including the six-time world champion and defending champion, Lewis Hamilton, had been echo.

- "Money is king" -

"I am very, very surprised that we are here," said the Briton at a press conference. "It is good that there are car races but, for me, it is shocking that we are all sitting in this room."

"I see people going about their business as if everything is normal but it is not," said the Mercedes driver, who will try to conquer a seventh world title this year which would make him equal to Michael Schumacher.

"Money is king," he said, when asked about the holding of the Grand Prix in a country where more than a hundred cases of coronavirus and three deaths have been recorded. "I don't see why I shouldn't state my opinion," said Hamilton.

"It is normal to ask the question," conceded for his part the quadruple German world champion Sebastian Vettel. "But I'm not the one who has to judge," added the Ferrari driver, noting that he and his counterparts "defer to other people's decisions by trusting them."

It has already been decided that the second round of the World Championship, the Bahrain GP on March 22, will take place behind closed doors. The Chinese GP, which was scheduled to take place on April 19, was postponed to an unspecified date and threats to Vietnam's were threatened on April 5.

According to unconfirmed reports on Friday, the Bahrain GP was also eventually canceled or postponed as well as that of Vietnam, delaying the opening of the season at the earliest in early May with the GP of the Netherlands.

F1 is not the only mechanical sport to be affected by the spread of the epidemic. The MotoGP championship has also seen several of its events canceled or postponed as well as the FE (Electric Formula) championship.

© 2020 AFP