Formula 1 teams scramble to get to Melbourne amid Middle East conflict

But how those involved get here from overseas could look very different this year.

Some staff have already arrived, unaffected by any travel disruptions.

“There’s some drivers already in Australia,” Auld said. “There’s some team members already in Australia, but there’s a number that are in the UK and broadly throughout Europe that need to get here, but they’ve just had to find another way.”

This masthead contacted the FIA and individual teams, but only Audi had replied at the time of publication.

A team spokesperson said Audi was not concerned about any logistical or safety issues in the lead-up to the Melbourne race, and would arrive on schedule and in time for Thursday’s first day.

Audi has been “in close contact with F1 and the FIA” and was “following their guidance” for international travel.

The majority of F1 drivers live in Europe, while technicians, engineers, mechanics and communications staff are scattered across the globe.

Auld said there had been “incredible cooperation” from Melbourne Airport with the F1 teams to get to the track despite the conflict in the Middle East.

“That’s been a process for them,” he said. “I’m sure it’s been a lot of work on their behalf… we’ll see them all arrive on time.”

Auld said the information he had received from F1 was that everyone who needed to be in Melbourne would be here for the race.

“There’ll be no impact on the race or event in any way,” he said. “How that looks for every team in F1 I’m not exactly sure, but from the event delivery point of view I know they’ll be here.”

Most F1 teams headquarters are located in the United Kingdom, with reigning constructors’ championships McLaren based in Woking, Mercedes in Brackley, Red Bull in Milton Keynes and Aston Martin in Silverstone.

Much of Ferrari’s staff is based in Maranello in Italy, while new team Cadillac has a base in North Carolina and also in Silverstone.

Nearly all the 22 F1 drivers on the grid as well as team principals and retired drivers live in Monaco, one of the world’s smallest nations.

And Bahrain, which has been directly impacted by the conflict and where airspace is now closed, hosts pre-season testing for Formula 1.

Testing for teams ran from February 11-20, but additional wet-weather development tests were scheduled from February 28-March 1.

Pirelli, the official tyre supplier for Formula 1, cancelled its scheduled testing in Bahrain, citing security and safety concerns for their staff.

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Dennis Bunnik, the co-CEO of Adelaide-based travel agency Bunnik Tours, said ground travel into Saudi Arabia would be required before any flights.

“Saudi airspace is open,” said Bunnik. “So if they can get down into Saudi Arabia, then they could fly from Saudi Arabia out via South-East Asia [to arrive in Australia].

“If they can’t get out of Bahrain into Saudi, then they’ll really have to wait until the airspace is open, in which case, that would obviously impact Formula 1.”

Popular Australian motorsport photographer Kym Illman posted on Instagram that many F1 crews from the United Kingdom and Europe were finding alternate routes via Asian ports to get to Melbourne.

He said flight prices had skyrocketed.

“Each team is expecting 100+ staff/crew in Melbourne and right now, it’s estimated that a quarter of that number have arrived; the others are due between now and Thursday,” Illman said in his post.

While Auld and the FIA – motorsport’s governing body – assured fans there would be no impact on the Australian Grand Prix, the rest of the F1 calendar currently looks uncertain.

Races four and five on the Formula 1 calendar are in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia on April 12th and 19th. The sports penultimate and final race are held in Qatar and Abu Dhabi respectively

An F1 spokesperson told Forbes and ESPN F1 they were monitoring the unfolding situation.

“Our next three races are in Australia, China and Japan and not in the Middle East – those races are not for a number of weeks.

“As always, we closely monitor any situation like this and work closely with relevant authorities.”

With Chris Zappone

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