Melbourne F1 boss is used to curveballs. War is a new one

Like most event organisers, Australian Grand Prix chief executive Travis Auld is used to the odd curveball. The first Formula 1 race of the season is filled with them: there’s a new team in Cadillac and the introduction of new regulations that could dramatically shake up the circuit.

But the assault on Iran by the US and Israel over the weekend presented a different sort of challenge for the motorsports boss: the safe and timely arrival of the F1 teams ahead of the season launch.