The corona virus has had major consequences for the northern Italian population. Since Saturday evening, this is no longer allowed to move outside the regional boundaries, provided that they are given permission to do so. However, this permission is only granted if there is a serious necessity.
The decision of the Italian government can also have major consequences for the Formula 1 world. At this moment it is still unknown whether all the staff of Ferrari, AlphaTauri and Pirelli, among others, have already left for Australia.
If this is not the case, then it may be that in the short term it is decided to cancel the Australian Grand Prix. F1 director Ross Brawn already stated at an earlier stage that they would not race if not all teams were present.
The majority of Italian staff working in the Formula 1 paddock normally fly via Milan, which will be closed from Sunday due to the new rules. The expectation is that Northern Italy will remain locked until 3 April.
If the Grands Prix of Australia and Bahrain are going ahead, it is questionable whether the Vietnam GP can also be held. Because the Italians cannot return home until April 3, the question is whether three races can be driven one after the other. A flight ban also means that it is no longer possible to fly in new equipment to the race in Vietnam or Bahrain.
Earlier in the day it was announced that the Vietnamese government hopes to be able to provide more clarity about the Grand Prix on 11 March.
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