Ferrari is the sport's oldest, best known and most successful team, but they are based in Italy, one of the countries worst hit by the virus. More than 50 people have died there and there are more than 2000 confirmed cases. Westacott, who on Wednesday morning hosted a thank you breakfast for more than 500 workers currently engaged on putting the finishing touches to the Albert Park circuit, pointed out that currently only people travelling from Iran and China have travel bans imposed on their entry to Australia. "I haven't spoken to Ross, but in the last 24 hours I have spoken to Chase [Carey, head of the Liberty Media-owned Formula One Group] and several other F1 executives. "It's all systems go. The most important issue for us is that the only restrictions in place now are from Iran and China. We are in regular contact with the team at F1 and we keep them fully up to date on a daily – sometimes twice daily – basis with the government and medical situation in Australia," said Westacott. The grand prix boss said that there were some 50 Formula One broadcast and technical staff currently on site, while freight would continue to arrive up to Saturday and team personnel and principals from the weekend onwards.

But while Pakula said on Wednesday he was confident the race would go ahead, he added: "It's my job to worry," he said. "I recognise that this situation is extremely dynamic and, to some extent, these are matters that are out of my control. "I am very hopeful … but I can't say anything about it with absolute certainty." Pakula also couldn't rule the cancellation of domestic sporting games or Melbourne events, such as the upcoming Comedy Festival, due to the virus.

He said that, at the moment, there were no plans to cancel mass gatherings, but that he would be taking the advice of medical experts. Westacott reiterated in a statement earlier in the week that his organisation had "robust" health and safety management arrangements in place and was working closely with the government and health agencies. Loading "We continue to closely monitor the situation in the lead-up to the grand prix and are taking guidance from subject matter experts, including Victorian and National Chief Health Officers and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee. At this stage there is no indication of further travel bans, nor is there any indication that Formula One and the teams will not be arriving as usual. "The finishing touches are being put on the circuit and we're looking forward to opening the gates to the public on Thursday 12 March."

F1 bosses are not just concerned about the Australian race. Some countries, including Vietnam, which hosts its first grand prix on April 5, have imposed quarantine periods on anyone who has come from or been in Italy during a two-week period prior to entry – something that would hit not just Ferrari but also Alpha Tauri (formerly known as Torro Rosso). "If a team is prevented from entering a country we can't have a race. Not a Formula One world championship race, anyway, because that would be unfair," Brawn said. "Obviously if a team makes its own choice not to go to a race, that's their decision. "But where a team is prevented from going to a race because of a decision of the country then it's difficult to have a fair competition."

Loading "It's a very serious situation, so I don't want to underplay it. But we're trying to have races. We've got to do them in a responsible way," Brawn said. "We're minimising the number of people in the paddock, we're asking the teams to send a minimum number of people they need to a race. There are also plans for a charter to take Formula One's Italian contingent directly from Melbourne to Bahrain, without anyone leaving the plane during any refuelling stopover, and with screening on arrival. The Vietnamese race is the third on the calendar. Bahrain follows Australia a week later.