MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian Grand Prix has been canceled after local organizers and Formula One couldn’t come up with a compromise over Australia’s strict travel and quarantine issues relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The race was postponed from its original season-opening spot on the F1 calendar on March 21 and had been rescheduled for Nov. 21.
The 2020 Australian GP at the Albert Park street circuit in Melbourne last March was called off at the last minute at the start of the coronavirus pandemic shutdown.
“It’s very disappointing that these much-loved events can’t proceed but this is the reality of the pandemic, but until we get much higher vaccination rates we cannot return to more normal settings,” Victorian Sports Minister Martin Pakula said.