Horner sees racing in Bahrain GP as 'out of the question'

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Red Bull team boss Christian Horner sees F1 racing in Bahrain next week as "out of the question" after the cancellation of the Australian Grand Prix.

The opening round of the 2020 F1 world championship was called off after McLaren withdrew from the event when one of its team members testing positive for the coronavirus, and a majority of teams subsequently decided against racing in Melbourne.

Formula 1, whose handling of events Down Under has been labeled a disaster by the sports' fans and media, has yet to decide the fate of next week's race in Bahrain. But Horner doesn't see it happening.

Carey insists F1 'made the right decisions' in Australia

"There will be conversations about more postponements, it is inevitable," said the Red Bull Racing boss.

"We need to see what the promoter has to say -- they're more informed than us about the races in Europe.

"A number of teams changed their mind and did not want to race. The promoter had no choice and had to cancel the race.

"Now we have to make sure we all get home safely. I think it's out of the question that we will be in Bahrain next week."

McLaren confirmed on Friday that 14 members of its team were placed in self-isolation for two weeks in Melbourne, while the remaining team members will be travelling back to the UK but won't be returning to the McLaren Technology Center in Woking for 15 days.

The move inevitably rules out McLaren for Bahrain, while Italy's stringent lockdown will certainly hinder Ferrari's own ability to go racing.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt everyday life in many countries and wreak havoc on sporting events, a cloud of uncertainty hovers over F1 in the near term.

The inaugural Vietnam Grand Prix scheduled for April 5 is inevitably in jeopardy while F1's first European round at Zandvoort on May 3 must also be considered under threat.

When the F1 season will finally kick off is anybody's guess at this stage.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.