The Australian Grand Prix must pay $2.8m to a promoter for cancelling a Robbie Williams concert. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)

The Australian Grand Prix has been ordered to pay $2.84 million to a promotion company over a cancelled Robbie Williams concert.

The Formula One event at Melbourne’s Albert Park in 2020 was axed just before gates opened on March 13 due to the looming threat of COVID-19.

Williams was to perform at Lakeside Stadium the following day as part of the four-day festival, but that concert was also cancelled and ticketholders refunded.

Live music promoter World Touring Melbourne claimed the concert was cancelled based on misleading information about health advice.

The company sued the Australian Grand Prix in the Victorian Supreme Court, seeking $8 million in damages.

In a judgment released on Friday morning, Justice Clyde Croft agreed the Grand Prix organisers had been misleading.

Event organisers had deceived promoters by claiming Victoria’s then-chief health officer Brett Sutton had directed the concert should not go ahead as planned, the judge found.

Dr Sutton instead texted organisers at 4.25pm on March 13 to say the decision to cancel the concert was ultimately a matter for them.

Justice Croft ordered the Australian Grand Prix to pay $2.84 million in damages to World Touring Melbourne for loss of earnings.