F1 news - 12,000 people and counting sign petition calling for Australia GP to be cancelled

The season-opener is scheduled to still go ahead this weekend despite numerous high-profile sporting events across the world being cancelled due to the pandemic.

Further doubts were raised as eight team personnel showed signs of the COVID-19 infection between Wednesday morning and Thursday afternoon with the results still to come back.

Six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton criticised organisers for allowing the race to go ahead hours after the NBA suspended its regular season, and suggested organisers had put financial concerns ahead of people's health. Australia currently has 139 cases of coronavirus and three deaths.

The petition reads: "The Victorian Government are not taking their duty of care seriously in regards to the Coronavirus and the Grand Prix.

"They are allowing the Grand Prix to go ahead despite two of the major race teams coming over from their home base in Modena, Italy. Both Ferrari and AlphaTauri teams, as well as the tyre supplier Pirelli are based within a few short km's from the epicentre of the coronavirus in Italy.

"They will be travelling with over 100 team staff and crew each as well as any supporters."