Update: The 2020 F1 Australian GP has been cancelled

Formula 1 fans have been barred from entering the Alb🍸ert Park circuit amid uncertainty and con🌳fusion over whether the Australian Grand Prix will go ahead.

Fans were not allowed into the Melbourne venue when the gates were due to open at 0845am local time and it was later confirmed by Victoria premier Daniel Andrews that they will be banned from ꦉthe race - if it does go ahead - following new advice from Victoria’s chief health officer.

The Australian Grand Prix is expected to be called off after Mc🥃Laren announced it had withdrawn fr💃om the season-opener after one of its team members tested positive for coronavirus.

“The chief health officer updated his advice and that’s been communicated to grand prix organisers,” And൲rews said.

“Now they are makℱing the choice between no event or an event without fans. But at the very least, there will be no fans at the grand prix this weekend.”

While race organisers ꦅhave stressed Friday’s running is set to go ahead as planned - with opening practice scheduled to take place at 1200 local time - there has been no official comment from ♉F1 or the FIA.

It followed a team meeting on Thursday night with a vote on whether to race 💮ending in a 5-5 tie. F1 needs at least 12 cars to participate for a world championship round to go ahead.

Red Bull, AlphaTauri, Alfa Romeo, Racing Point and Williams were the only teams to turn up at the paddock gates when the curfew ended, with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Alfa Romeo dri𝓰ver Kimi Raikkonen already understood to have flown home.

Other teams who do not wish t⛄o participate are in the process of arranging 🔥flights out of Melbourne on Friday.

An update from the FIA on the developing situation is expect🙈ed soon. 

- Punters at the Australian Grand Prix have been told “gate opening has been delayed” while the event works through “pro💞gramming and scheduling” concerns.

— Brianna Travers (@briannatravers)