Qatar Airways has confirmed it has pulled out of all commitments at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix as the crisis in the Middle East continues to escalate.
A staple of modern F1, Qatar Airways has been a major sponsor of races in recent seasons, including the Qatar GP towards the end of the season.
However, the escalating Middle East crisis deepens, the effects are beginning to be felt across the world of sport, with F1 no exception.
The sport is due to race in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates this season, F1 now closely monitoring events in the region.
Qatar has announced the temporary closure of its airspace, with state airline Qatar Airways confirming it is now pulling out of all Australian GP commitments.
In a statement, the airline said it had cancelled all invitations on Thursday night “in light of the situation and out of respect for those impacted”.
A spokesperson then confirmed: “Due to the ongoing closure of Qatari airspace and the temporary suspension of Qatar Airways’ flight operations, the airline has postponed its scheduled media and partner events in Melbourne this weekend.”
Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are scheduled to take place in the next six weeks, placing their future into immediate doubt.
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