Australian Grand Prix canceled because of coronavirus outbreak

The race in Melbourne was scheduled as the season opener of the 2020 Formula 1 calendar, with the first practice sessions set to begin Friday. Drivers, teams and fans had already arrived at the track for preparations, although Lewis Hamilton said in his press conference it was "shocking" the race hadn't been called off. However, the decision to cancel the event eventually came Thursday following McLaren's withdrawal after a team member tested positive for the virus. "We appreciate this is very disappointing news for the thousands of fans due to attend the race and all ticket holders will receive a full refund and a further announcement will be communicated in due course," read a joint statement from FIA and Formula 1, with support from race organizers."The safety of all members of the Formula 1 family and the wider community, as well as the fairness of the competition take priority."Following the news from Melbourne, both the Bahrain GP (March 22) and the inaugural Vietnam GP (April 5) have been postponed to allow organizers to "take the appropriate amount of time to study the viability of potential alternative dates."The Chinese GP, set for April 19, was postponed in February. The new season is now expected to start again in May. READ: Hamilton says it is 'shocking' Australian GP was going aheadREAD: Showjumping spectacles to be rescheduled amid coronavirus concerns

Formula E suspended

The Formula E season has also been temporarily suspended because of concerns over the virus.Races in Sanya, China, and Rome, Italy, had already been postponed while a race in Indonesia's capital city Jakarta had been delayed. Organizers of the all-electric series said it would remain under "red flag&qRead More – Source

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