F1: Australian Grand Prix organisers insist race can be a ‘force for good’ as nation battles bushfires

The CEO of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation believes this year’s Formula One event can be a force for good as the country continues to battle the bushfire crisis.

While Andrew Westacott claims that what has happened to his homeland is “devastating” and “pretty horrendous”, his organisation is “treating our event as business as usual”.

While areas of the state of Victoria have been severely affected, the city of Melbourne in which the curtain-raising event of the 2020 F1 season takes place on March 13- 15 has been untouched.

Westacott recognises that prevailing winds can force a change in the air conditions, but he is confident the race will go ahead as planned.

“Melbourne itself isn’t impacted by the fires, they’re very much to the east, 200 to 300 kilometres away at least,” said Westacott, speaking to the PA news agency. “It’s really centred upon the changing wind conditions that forces a degradation of air quality.

“But I wouldn’t expect that at this stage, and one doesn’t know what’s going to pan out over two months, that given the incidences of where the fires are, it will impact the Formula One grand prix.

“With the timing of our event two months away, we are treating it as business as usual.

“But here and now, very much like all Australians, we are just thinking of the people who are fighting the fires, who have lost houses, have had to be evacuated because of this disaster.”

Westacott has confirmed that when the event does take place it will do all it can to support those affected in whatever way possible, and hopefully provide some degree of relief from the horrors that have been witnessed.

“Our first priority, like everyone in Australia, is seeing what we can do to help, to lend love, support and best wishes and resources, and one of the main resources tends to be financial support,” said Westacott.

“What we’re conscious of doing is marshalling the collective support of the motoring communities, who are so generous nationally and around the world.

“We’re looking to see that if anyone wants to provide support to those impacted, then we can havea centralised approach that calls on the motorsport fans to give generously, and that’s what we’re working towards at the moment.

“For the people who are fighting the fires, we need to ensure that everyone is supporting them, and for those affected, who have perhaps lost a source of income, their farming assets or their home, we need to be able to make sure we can give them some joy.

“Yes, we can be a source for praising and recognising the efforts of those involved helping to fight the fires, and we can also be an outlet for people to perhaps get some respite after what have been some very tough and traumatic times.”