Lockdown casts doubt over Bathurst 6 Hour
A snap three-day lockdown in Brisbane has cast doubt over this weekend's Bathurst 6 Hour.
TCR cars at Mount Panorama
TCR Australia
The Queensland capital will go into a three-day hard lockdown from 5pm local time today in a bid to stem an outbreak of COVID-19.
Seven cases have now been linked to the outbreak which is believed to have stemmed from a doctor that was infected earlier this month.
The lockdown will cover Brisbane City, Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, and Redland.
That's cast doubt over whether this weekend's Bathurst 6 Hour, which also includes a GT World Challenge Australia round and the first competitive visit to Mount Panorama for TCR Australia, will go ahead.
While Bathurst itself is not directly affected by the lockdown, it's likely to implicate some Queensland-based teams and drivers that were planning to head to Bathurst this weekend.
That would include the Triple Eight team, based in Brisbane, which is set to field its Mercedes in GT World Challenge Australia.
Professional race teams have generally been able to continue to operate during hard lockdowns in Australia, which means preparations may avoid interruption.
The border to New South Wales, however, is the biggest threat to the event going ahead.
As it stands NSW is still open to Queensland, however NSW Health is advising against non-essential travel to the Greater Brisbane area.
Should NSW declare Brisbane a hotspot it would make it impossible for T8 and other Brisbane-based competitors to get across the border until at least the end of the lockdown on Thursday evening.
"The Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 hour is aware of the potential impact the Brisbane lockdown may have on teams and competitors entered for the event," read a statement provided by organisers.
"We are in communication with those currently located in areas designated a hotspot by the Queensland Government and are working through what impact it may have on their participation, as well as monitoring any New South Wales Government restrictions in place for visitors from that area."
"Our planning for the event continues and at this stage there are no changes to our plans for on-track action to commence on Friday."
Triple Eight, meanwhile, is waiting on any developments with the QLD/NSW border.
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