Mark Sutton//Motorsport Images
F1 detects first positive COVID cases at Hungarian GP
Formula 1 has announced its first two positive cases of COVID-19 at the Hungarian Grand Prix in its latest testing figures.
The sport is publishing its figures on a weekly basis as it returns to racing, and at the first two events in Austria it reported zero positive cases. However, the latest round of testing ahead of the third race in Hungary has resulted in the first cases of the virus being confirmed within the sport.
“The FIA and Formula 1 can today confirm that between Friday 10th July and Thursday 16th July, 4,997 tests for COVID-19 have been performed on drivers, teams and personnel,” an F1 statement read. “Of these, two people have tested positive.
“The individuals were not present in Austria, with the affected people removed from operations and isolated. Tracing of close contacts completed and isolated. The FIA and Formula 1 are providing this aggregated information for the purposes of competition integrity and transparency.”
Specific details as to teams or individuals is not being released by F1 and the FIA, with all those attending any race event being subject to testing. However, RACER understands the two positive cases do not come from the teams.
The sport has set itself up in a bubble system that sees teams limiting their interaction with rivals or anyone outside the team bubble, and then internally creating sub-groups that ensure personnel have very small groups of close contacts. The sport is confident its trace and test protocol (pictured above: a reporter gets his temperature checked on arrival) is working following the first two positive cases, and says there is no impact on racing.
F1 managing director of motorsports Ross Brawn warned after the first two races in Austria that positive cases were inevitable, with the sport carrying out such a stringent testing schedule in order to be able to safely deal with them and continue racing without disruption.
Chris Medland
While studying Sports Journalism at the University of Central Lancashire, Chris managed to talk his way into working at the British Grand Prix in 2008 and was retained for three years before joining ESPN F1 as Assistant Editor. After three further years at ESPN, a spell as F1 Editor at Crash Media Group was followed by the major task of launching F1i.com’s English-language website and running it as Editor. Present at every race since the start of 2014, he has continued building his freelance portfolio, working with international titles. As well as writing for RACER, his broadcast work includes television appearances on F1 TV and as a presenter and reporter on North America's live radio coverage on SiriusXM.
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