No ’unvaccinated’ F1 drivers can race in Melbourne

"Unvaccinated" Formula 1 drivers and personnel will not be permitted to race in Melbourne next April.

That is the news straight from the mouth of Daniel Andrews, the premier of the Australian state of Victoria - where Melbourne is the capital.

He was responding to reports that world tennis number 1 Novak Djokovic is refusing to disclose his vaccination status ahead of the Australian Open in Melbourne early next year.

"I don’t think an unvaccinated tennis player is going to get a visa to come into this country," Andrews said.

"And if they did get a visa, they’d probably have to quarantine for a couple of weeks. But let’s not personalise it.

"I don’t think any other tennis player or golfer or Formula 1 driver will even get a visa to get here. If I’m wrong, I’m sure the federal government will let you know.

"You need to be vaccinated to keep yourself safe and to keep others safe."

Andrews also warned that his stance about professional sports needing to be fully vaccinated to enter Victoria is not going to change "for a while".

"We’re not going to be essentially encouraging people to not get vaccinated because they reckon they can wait a few months or a few weeks," he said.