#F1 on @thebend_msp radar if #Melbourne cancels again. #Adelaide

The Bend Motorsport has it’s sights set on bringing Formula One back to South Australia should the event be moved from Melbourne because of the coronavirus pandemic, Premier Steven Marshall said.

The Premier said the state does “not have bucket loads of cash” lying around but would back a bid from Tailem Bend to host the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix next year.

Steven Marshall said The Bend Motorsport Park is one of the best circuits in the world and would be brilliant for Grand Prix racing if it could not go ahead on the streets of Albert Park in 2021.

Track owners, the Shahin family, announced they would be hosting two round of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship on September 19-20 and 26-27.

Mr Marshall said the Formula One Grand Prix could not be held on the legendary Adelaide Street Circuit in the same way the Superloop Adelaide 500 race in February was, with the street track currently at FIA Grade 3 level.

However, The Premier said The Bend Motorsport Park would be suitable if Australia was obligated to host a Grand Prix and it could not be held in Melbourne, which is currently under a second wave of coronavirus cases.

He said the two-year-old circuit, 104.5 kilometres south-east of Adelaide was “one of the very best tracks globally.”

“We would look at every single option in terms of bringing events to South Australia,” Mr Marshall said. “But of course it’s got to stand up from a commercial perspective.”

The Bend Motorsport Park Managing Director Sam Shahin said F1 could be held at the circuit with some adjustments to be made to achieve the upgrade from FIA Category 2 to FIA Category 1.

“The answer is we will throw our hat in the ring and throw it again and again and again until there is a real opportunity,” Shahin said.

Adelaide hosted the Australian Formula One Grand Prix from 1985-1995.

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