Australian Grand Prix Corporation sued for $8 million over Robbie Williams cancelled concert

The Australian Grand Prix Corporation is being sued for more than $8 million by World Tour for the snap cancellation of a performance by international singing star Robbie Williams at the 2020 Formula One event in Melbourne.

Apollo World Touring, Westbrook Inc. (owned by Hollywood actor Will Smith) and TEG Dainty partnered with the Australian Grand Prix Corporation to bring the global launch of World Tour to Melbourne, running alongside the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2020.

World Tour is a new multi-artist, multi-genre event and content series, staged in the world’s most renowned cities.

2020 marked a major milestone for the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, as it would have been the 25th race held in Melbourne making it the perfect year to stage the launch of  the new music event-series.

World Tour’s show on Saturday 14th March with Robbie Williams was cancelled on the eve of the first practice session due to the COVID-19 pandemic and followed on from the decision of Formula 1 and the FIA, with the support of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) to cancel all Formula 1 activity for the Australian Grand Prix.

World Tour advised it was informed of the cancellation during a teleconference with the Australian Grand Prix Corporation and local touring partner Dainty at 1.30pm on 13th March – the same day racegoers were told at the gates.

The concert would have been located inside Lakeside Stadium within the Grand Prix race track at Albert Park.

At the time of notification of cancellation, World Tour advised that all ticket holders would receive a full refund and would be contacted by Ticketek.

The touring agency is reportedly seeking $7.594 million for costs it incurred and another $1.128 million in lost profits, and interest. The touring agency alleges the cancellation was a breach of the corporation's contractual obligations.

A writ filed by Gadens law firm last week in Victoria's Supreme Court lists venue hire, backstage catering of $32,500, production costs such as sound and lighting, publicity and legal fees among the costs.

A spokesperson for the Australian Grand Prix corporation has declined to comment, as the matter is before the court.

According to the ABC, the 2022 race scheduled for this weekend has seen race organisers self-impose a crowd limit of 130,000 people for the event due to labour shortages.

Image: Promotion for Robbie Williams' performance at the 2020 Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne.