Lawrence Stroll adamant Australian GP will be postponed

Aston Martin chairman Lawrence Stroll says the Australian GP in March will be pushed back to the back half of the 2021 season and replaced by Bahrain.

Australia's stringent COVID-19 restrictions and quarantine measures are set to remain in force in the coming months as the pandemic continues to longer Down Under.

Reports of the opening round at Melbourne being postponed emerged earlier this week, but Stroll says the call has been made.

"Melbourne has been -- it's not officially announced but it will be -- not cancelled but postponed," the Canadian told Reuters ahead of the announcement of Aston Martin's title partnership with IT giant Cognizant.

"We will go there sometime in the fall (autumn) and the first race will be Bahrain."

Formula 1 teams were apparently informed of the change in a virtual meeting last Monday with new F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali.

• Read also: European GP starts set to revert to traditional 2pm slot

This year's calendar theoretically includes a record 23-race schedule, but many believe - including Stroll - that more disruption awaits the sport in the coming months.

"I do believe we're in for a difficult two or three months," said Stroll. "There is a light at the end of the tunnel with the vaccine. I think the first few races will be slightly challenging.

"But Formula One management and the FIA, I really take my hat off to them to deliver 17 races as we did last year in 23 weeks, without really any major hiccups, in a very impressive manner.

"I think the worst is behind us and we've learnt through last year how to proceed with this year."

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