Formula One has confirmed that next Sunday's season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne will proceed as scheduled, despite significant travel disruption affecting hundreds of personnel due to escalating conflict in the Middle East.
The sport's extensive travelling operation, comprising roughly 2,000 team members and organisational staff, has been thrown into disarray following today's closure of major aviation hubs in the Gulf region.
Flight cancellations have forced a substantial number of F1 workers to hastily revise their travel arrangements as they attempt to reach Australia for the championship's first race of the season.
The logistical challenges come amid Iranian military strikes targeting multiple Gulf states.
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Doha and Dubai airports, serving as the primary stopover points for Qatar Airways and Emirates passengers, were shut down earlier today following Iranian bombing of facilities across Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE.
Tehran launched the attacks in retaliation after US President Donald Trump announced what he described as "major combat operations" against Iran.
Formula One has confirmed that next Sunday's season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne will proceed as scheduled, despite significant travel disruption affecting hundreds of personnel due to escalating conflict in the Middle East
|GETTY
With their usual routes severed, F1 travellers are now being redirected onto alternative services through Hong Kong and Singapore.
Others have opted for Qantas flights directly into Perth, from where they face an internal connection of approximately three and a half hours to reach Melbourne ahead of next weekend's race.
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The F1 drivers with the most World Championships | PA/GETTY/REUTERSA Formula One spokesman emphasised that the immediate calendar remains unaffected by the regional turmoil, stating: "Our next three races are in Australia, China and Japan, not in the Middle East those races are not for a number of weeks."
The spokesman added: "As always, we closely monitor any situation like this and work closely with relevant authorities."
The championship organisers maintain that both the Bahrain Grand Prix, scheduled for 12th April, and the following week's Saudi Arabian race remain firmly on the calendar.
Nevertheless, according to the Daily Mail, senior figures within F1 are believed to have prepared alternative arrangements should the ongoing instability require venue changes to preserve the planned 24-race world championship season.
Donald Trump confirmed major US military operation in Iran | TRUTH SOCIALThe military escalation began when President Trump declared that US forces had initiated "major combat operations" with the explicit aim of achieving regime change in Tehran.
In a video address, the American president urged Iranian citizens to rise up against their religious leadership, declaring: "When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations."
Trump extended immunity offers to Iranian military personnel who chose to surrender whilst simultaneously warning of "certain death" for those who continued to resist.
According to Israeli officials, Iran responded with its own retaliatory strikes, with explosions subsequently reported across the UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait.