Fate of Sydney TCR, S5000 round to be decided tomorrow
A decision on whether or not the upcoming Motorsport Australia Championships round in Sydney will be cancelled due to the coronavirus will be made tomorrow.
Photo by: Daniel Kalisz
The governing body has been determined to press on with the March 27-29 meeting at Sydney Motorsport Park, which was set to include points-paying rounds for TCR Australia, S5000 and Porsche's Michelin Sprint Challenge.
That's been complicated by strict state and federal government rulings on mass gatherings, with Motorsport Australia today confirming it's been seeking clarification from authorities on whether the 500-person limit includes operating staff and officials.
Motorsport.com understands Motorsport Australia staff will meet tomorrow to make a final call on whether Sydney goes ahead – with postponement considered the most likely outcome.
Either way, Porsche Cars Australia is understood to have already decided to withdraw its second-tier Sprint Challenge series from the SMP schedule.
The call was based on both consultation with competitors and Porsche's current corporate policy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with official confirmation likely to come tomorrow.
Australian Racing Group, which promotes both TCR Australia and S5000, released a statement yesterday saying it would follow the advice of the governing body.
"Australian Racing Group (ARG) will be guided by Motorsport Australia (as the governing motorsport body) and other regulatory bodies coupled with our own risk assessments in any determination as to when and where it is regarded as safe and operationally feasible to race," read an ARG statement.
"In the interim we would ask that you please be patient, understand that updated information comes to hand daily if not hourly and the reality is that as a result the decision making process remains fluid."
TCR Australia and S5000 were both impacted by the Australian Grand Prix cancellation, the former losing its non-point Asia Pacific Cup and the latter its opening championship round.
Porsche Cars Australia was affected too, its second Carrera Cup round having been part of the Albert Park undercard.
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