With the ongoing conflict in the Middle East causing widespread disruptions to travel, Formula One officials have chartered flights to get key team staff to Melbourne for this weekend’s 2026 Australian Grand Prix, according to The Athletic.
About 1,500 paddock personnel, including team staff, race organisers and officials, and media and hospitality personnel, typically attend such a race, scheduled for March 8 at Melbourne’s Albert Park track.
Many of these were scheduled to pass through airports in the Middle East, which serve as major worldwide transportation hubs, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Doha in Qatar.
Retaliatory missile strikes continued to shake the region after the US and Israel launched an attack on Iran on Saturday, leading to temporary closures of airspace around these countries and causing a large percentage of flights in the area to be canceled.
“You’re talking about teams, drivers, Formula One personnel,” Australian Grand Prix CEO Travis Auld told Australian network Channel Nine.
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