The CEO of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) is confident that all parties, including the federal and state governments and Formula 1 , are clear on the entry requirements for both Australia and the Albert Park circuit.
That should prevent any controversy similar to the recent deportation of tennis player Novak Djokovic from Australia.
The world No. 1 in tennis has spent the last few weeks locked in a battle with the Australian government after arriving in the country ahead of the Australian Open claiming he had been granted a medical exemption from the dual vaccination requirement.
Her visa was revoked shortly after her arrival, but that decision was overturned in court a few days later.
The government then canceled his visa a second time and, after a second appeal, deported Djokovic back to his country.
According to Andrew Westacott , Formula 1 fully understands the rules for people to enter Australia, and the Australian GP will be a 100% vaccinated event.
“We have worked very closely with the Victorian state government throughout 2021 and in the run-up to 2022,” he said. “And of course we have worked very, very closely with Formula 1.”
“The rules are simple to enter the country and the rules are simple to be in Formula 1. To enter the event, you have to be 100% vaccinated and no exemptions will be sought for anyone, by anyone.”
“Formula 1 has recognized around the world that they must always abide by the rules of the jurisdictions in which they compete. They have raced on 41 circuits since Melbourne in 2020 and we will welcome them to the country. They know the rules and we feel very, very comfortable with that.”
“I think it goes without saying that they will be 100% vaccinated and they will be in compliance with the laws. And that means when they come here to Melbourne, they will be working in a very, very safe regime. That is a defined and underlined position.”
“That requirement was clear long before the recent events with the Australian Open. We have worked very closely with the federal government, the state government, Formula 1 and the FIA for probably a year and a half on this.
Westacott added that the 2022 F1 Australian GP is in no danger of being cancelled, despite the Omicron wave currently hitting Australia’s east coast.
The country recently recorded the deadliest day of the pandemic so far with 88 deaths, while a record number of cases spread across the East Coast, New South Wales and Victoria in particular.
However, Westacott says there is “zero chance” fans will be left at the gates like they were in 2020 when the event was canceled just before the grand prix began.
“Fans can rest assured that that won’t happen again,” he said.
“We are confident that we will deliver. We have seen what is happening in Australia, and I don’t remember when a major event was recently cancelled.”
“We’re running this event. But we may have to do it with different requirements. We’ll now work with the Victorian government on those restrictions, but what’s really important is that people feel safe buying their tickets.”
“I will go on record and say there is no possibility of cancellation. We are going to start preparing the track on February 1st.”
Among those restrictions may be a limit on the capacity, such as the 50% imposed at the Australian Tennis Open.
But, given that there is room, Westacott says that the AGPC is preparing the event as if it were going to be a packed house.
“We are working with 100% until they tell us otherwise,” he explained. “We are installing more grandstands. We are putting new hospitality facilities up for sale, and we are increasing the general viewing areas.”
The Australian Grand Prix will take place from April 7-10 and will be the third round on the 2022 F1 calendar after the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian GPs.
Gallery: the photos of that ‘No Australian GP’ 2020
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Andrew van Leeuwen
Photo by: Andrew van Leeuwen
Photo by: Andrew van Leeuwen
Photo by: Andrew van Leeuwen
Photo by: Andrew van Leeuwen
Foto de: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Foto de: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Carl Bingham/Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo de: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
