Australian Grand Prix cancelled for second year running

UPDATE, JULY 6 3PM: The Australian Grand Prix Corporation has officially cancelled the 2021 Formula 1 and MotoGP Australian Grand Prix.

AGPC CEO Andrew Westacott said the news is disappointing for fans of the two motorsports but the decision is necessary to keep the public safe through the Covid-19 pandemic.

"We understand this is not the news MotoGP and Formula 1 fans wanted to hear," said Westacott.

"I would like to extend my thanks to the Victorian Government, Formula 1 and Dorna Sports (MotoGP) for their unwavering resilience and support during this challenging period, and for their ongoing commitment to these two great events.

“There are bound to be ongoing challenges with Covid-19, but I want to reassure fans that while there is sadness and disappointment amongst our wonderful AGPC staff there is a tenacity and determination to make sure the next episodes of MotoGP at the Island and Formula 1 at the new Albert Park layout are sensational showcases of how we do things in Victoria."

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There will be no Turn 2 crowd to see Daniel Ricciardo this year as the Australian Grand Prix has been officially cancelled

JULY 6 11.30AM: The Victorian State Government and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) are set to announce the cancellation of this year's Formula 1 and MotoGP Australian Grand Prix, the second time in as many years.

Thanks again to Covid-19, both the four and two-wheel races will not take place Down Under in 2021, having both been cancelled last year due to the pandemic, reports 10 News Melbourne.

Traditionally the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix is the host of the opening race of the season in March, though this year's race had been pushed back to November to give more time for the State and Federal Governments to implement strategies surrounding international arrivals.

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Last year's Aus GP was cancelled just hours before F1 practice got underway, triggering a nearly four-month delay in the season

Last year's Australian Grand Prix was cancelled just hours before the opening Free Practice session of the year was meant to begin, with Friday, March 13 becoming the day the Formula 1 season was put on hold, not getting underway until July 5 in Austria.

The Australian Grand Prix Corporation has been making improvements to the Albert Park Circuit over the past year to improve the quality of racing which was criticised in the past, tweaking turns 1, 3, 6 and 15 while also removing turns 9 and 10, leading to a better overtaking zone at the re-profiled turn 13.

Silverstone will host the next round of the season for the British Grand Prix, announcing last month it will allow full capacity for fans to attend the race as the country passes 50 per cent full vaccination against Covid-19.

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Fans were less than pleased at last year's race cancellation, waiting outside the gates on Friday morning for hours only to be told the race wouldn't go ahead

It is also the second time the MotoGP round in Australia has been cancelled, its October date being scrapped in 2020 as the season stayed in Europe and was condensed down to a 14-round championship.

This year's race at Phillip Island was touted as being one of the biggest in the event's history after the success of Australian Jack Miller this season, having won two races back-to-back already for the Ducati factory team.