The FIA suspends the curfew for the Australian Grand Prix.
FIA suspends curfew for Australian F1 GP; understand why.
Around a thousand employees had their travel plans altered due to the war in the Middle East.
The war in the Middle East continues to have an impact on the sporting world. Due to the conflict, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) has suspended the curfew for the Australian Grand Prix, which takes place between March 6th and 8th, so that all teams can have the same preparation time.
Around a thousand employees had their travel plans altered, and half of them went to Melbourne, the city where the Albert Park Circuit is located, on private flights. The logistical change was due to the escalation of attacks by the United States and Israel, which closed the airspace of countries in the Middle East region – a connecting axis on the route to Australia.
In this scenario, the solution found by the FIA was to suspend the usual curfew during the period prior to the Australian GP. With this, the mechanics and the team involved in preparing the cars will be able to remain in the paddock without a time limit. The official statement was released by the entity this Wednesday (4); check it out:
“We wish to inform you that, after consultation with the meeting commissioners, due to force majeure and specifically ongoing travel and transport disruptions experienced in preparation for the Australian GP, the provisions of Article B9.5.1a, i.e., “Restricted Period 1”, and Article B9.5.1b, i.e., “Restricted Period 2″, do not apply to this competition.”
The periods mentioned refer to the following times:
- “Restricted Period One”: Begins 42 hours before the start of the first free training session and ends 29 hours before the session;
- “Restricted Period Two”: Begins 18 hours before the start of the first free practice session and lasts until four hours before the session.
Logistics were affected before the F1 debut.
With the intensification of attacks in recent days, Formula 1 needed to act quickly to ensure the safety of drivers and staff before the Australian Grand Prix, between March 6 and 8.
The tire test scheduled for last Friday (28) was cancelled after an Iranian missile hit a US Navy base just 30 kilometers from the Sakhir Circuit, in Bahrain. The attack caused the closure of the airports in Doha (Qatar) and Dubai (United Arab Emirates) — the two main connecting hubs for those traveling to Australia.