'Safety and wellbeing' will guide F1 Mideast planning: FIA chief / Photo: © AFP
RBGPF
0.3500
The China Mail - 'Safety and wellbeing' will guide F1 Mideast planning: FIA chief
USD
-
AED 3.6725
AFN 66.000631
ALL 78.935002
AMD 365.260055
ANG 1.789783
AOA 916.999796
ARS 1497.230792
AUD 1.404297
AWG 1.8
AZN 1.69594
BAM 1.673104
BBD 2.01539
BDT 122.281202
BGN 1.696366
BHD 0.37701
BIF 2982.5
BMD 1
BND 1.271932
BOB 11.542986
BRL 5.1951
BSD 1.000659
BTN 95.718306
BWP 13.434508
BYN 3.043612
BYR 19600
BZD 2.012524
CAD 1.378155
CDF 2275.000389
CHF 0.80011
CLF 0.023446
CLP 922.769881
CNY 6.72325
CNH 6.72402
COP 3076.35
CRC 453.402228
CUC 1
CUP 26.5
CVE 94.824987
CZK 20.652098
DJF 177.719882
DKK 6.397295
DOP 59.010018
DZD 133.042028
EGP 50.8813
ERN 15
ETB 163.449465
EUR 0.85575
FJD 2.19785
FKP 0.735015
GBP 0.733135
GEL 2.604997
GGP 0.735015
GHS 11.125008
GIP 0.735015
GMD 73.000151
GNF 8777.499549
GTQ 7.635945
GYD 209.26741
HKD 7.843495
HNL 26.831146
HRK 6.447197
HTG 130.914597
HUF 312.1415
IDR 17771.6
ILS 2.99765
IMP 0.735015
INR 95.77255
IQD 1310.845723
IRR 1374575.000017
ISK 121.520065
JEP 0.735015
JMD 158.313693
JOD 0.709017
JPY 159.008502
KES 129.420125
KGS 87.4491
KHR 4045.000094
KMF 422.000199
KPW 900.000294
KRW 1390.3502
KWD 0.30823
KYD 0.833925
KZT 456.002874
LAK 22475.000128
LBP 89550.000074
LKR 330.163782
LRD 181.62496
LSL 16.139929
LTL 2.95274
LVL 0.60489
LYD 6.354988
MAD 9.25375
MDL 17.181525
MGA 4276.542323
MKD 52.679573
MMK 2099.608389
MNT 3598.398104
MOP 8.084231
MRU 40.129915
MUR 46.649692
MVR 15.459825
MWK 1737.000161
MXN 16.949207
MYR 4.046005
MZN 63.904999
NAD 16.139821
NGN 1348.240212
NIO 36.828238
NOK 9.347235
NPR 153.148806
NZD 1.67942
OMR 0.384498
PAB 1.000654
PEN 3.354006
PGK 4.498929
PHP 61.730497
PKR 277.574971
PLN 3.694825
PYG 6025.116772
QAR 3.647726
RON 4.4936
RSD 100.426983
RUB 82.799646
RWF 1470.917848
SAR 3.756633
SBD 8.032258
SCR 13.744502
SDG 601.4985
SEK 9.478705
SGD 1.27155
SHP 0.740866
SLE 24.536401
SLL 20969.499227
SOS 571.883194
SRD 37.689803
STD 20697.981008
STN 20.959339
SVC 8.755908
SYP 13001.999906
SZL 16.142113
THB 32.835031
TJS 9.246023
TMT 3.5
TND 2.9105
TOP 2.40776
TRY 48.059199
TTD 6.781357
TWD 31.855803
TZS 2645.502978
UAH 44.634778
UGX 3722.127883
UYU 40.105225
UZS 11847.637787
VES 776.44435
VND 26102
VUV 118.216132
WST 2.729275
XAF 561.160206
XAG 0.014686
XAU 0.000221
XCD 2.70255
XCG 1.803429
XDR 0.707052
XOF 561.165007
XPF 102.02362
YER 237.075034
ZAR 16.11691
ZMK 9001.208288
ZMW 18.886955
ZWL 321.999592
- University suspends academic behind Jason Arday plagiarism charges
- World No.2 Rybakina retires from Cincinnati clash with Swiatek
- Key European leaders demand Israel halt West Bank settlement project
- 'I heard you missed me': Melania Trump jokes about month out of spotlight
- McIlroy bounces back to share BMW Championship lead
- Amazon Prime Video to invest $2 bn in Latin America productions
- Cobolli fueled by candy in sweet defeat of Paul
- Panama Canal to reduce shipping over El Nino-fueled drought
- Jailed Pakistan ex-PM Khan moved to hospital on court order: party
- Maradona trial on hold over possible medical evidence mix-up
'Safety and wellbeing' will guide F1 Mideast planning: FIA chief
FIA chief Mohammed Ben Sulayem said "safety and wellbeing" will guide decision-making with Formula One's calendar plunged into uncertainty by the war in the Middle East.
This weekend's season-opening Australian Grand Prix has been hit by travel chaos but is not under threat.
After Melbourne, Formula One heads to China then Japan, which are not expected to be affected.
However, concerns are mounting over whether next month's Bahrain race from April 10-12 and Saudi Arabia a week later will be able to go ahead.
US President Donald Trump on Monday said the assault on Iran could go "far longer" than his initial estimates of about a month.
In response, Iran and its allies have launched retaliatory strikes on Israel as well as US military bases and other areas in a host of Mideast nations, including Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
Ben Sulayem, president of global motorsport governing body, the International Automobile Federation (FIA), said he was closely monitoring the situation.
"At this moment of uncertainty, we hope for calm and a swift return to stability. Dialogue and the protection of civilians must remain priorities," he said in his first statement on the matter late Monday.
"We are in close contact with our member clubs, championship promoters, teams, and colleagues on the ground as we monitor developments carefully and responsibly.
"Safety and wellbeing will guide our decisions as we assess the forthcoming events scheduled for the World Endurance Championship and the Formula 1 World Championship."
The Endurance Championship is a leading sportscar event due to open its season in Qatar at the end of March.
While freight, including the cars, is safely in Melbourne for the Grand Prix this weekend, the closure of airspace and airports in the Middle East has caused chaos to travel plans for team personnel.
Dubai and Doha are major flight hubs on the path to Melbourne and around 1,000 race staff have had to scramble and change flights.
Australian Formula One chief Travis Auld on Monday said he was confident "everyone will be here ready for the race".
"We're in a space where we're really confident there will be no impact," he added.
McLaren world champion Lando Norris will kickstart his title defence in Melbourne, which will be the first race for new team Cadillac -- with experienced pair Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez in the cockpit.
L.Kwan--ThChM
