Sergio Perez first F1 racer to test positive for Covid-19, to miss British Grand Prix

Mexican Formula One driver Sergio Perez will miss Sunday’s British Grand Prix after testing positive for Covid-19, his Racing Point crew mentioned on Thursday. The Canadian-owned outfit mentioned the 30-year-old, who’s the primary driver to test positive for the reason that pandemic-hit season began this month, was “physically well and in good spirits”.

They mentioned they deliberate to switch him for the race at Silverstone. With Britain extending the virus isolation interval to 10 days from seven on Thursday, Perez additionally seems to be set to overlook the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix – race 5 – on the similar circuit on the next weekend. Racing Point share reserves with engine provider Mercedes, who’ve Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne and Mexican Esteban Gutierrez in these roles.

Also Read | From NBA to IOC, sharing the bubble map

Both are skilled former F1 race drivers however Gutierrez can be the driving force on name since Vandoorne is getting ready for the ultimate races of the stalled all-electric Formula E season in Berlin. Racing Point may, nonetheless, name up one other driver of their selection with Germany’s Nico Hulkenberg – who raced for Renault final season – one such risk. A choice should be made earlier than apply begins on Friday.

Perez, who’s sixth within the championship, and a small group of crew mates who had come into contact with him had already gone into self-isolation after an preliminary test got here again as inconclusive.

“The FIA and Formula One can now confirm that the result of his re-test is positive,” Formula One and the governing physique mentioned in a joint assertion. “Perez has entered self-quarantine in accordance with the instructions of the relevant public health authorities, and will continue to follow the procedure mandated by those authorities.”

NO WIDER IMPACT

Mexico has been exhausting hit by the virus, with the fourth highest variety of fatalities on this planet, however a Racing Point spokesman mentioned Perez had not been again to his nation since he final raced in Hungary on July 19.

Formula One has began its delayed season with out spectators and underneath rigorously managed circumstances, with groups working in bubbles and all staff and people with entry to the paddock examined each 5 days. The sport had reported solely two positive outcomes, neither involving individuals who attended races, from greater than 15,000 checks carried out from June 26 to July 23.

“The procedures set out by the FIA and Formula One have provided for swift containment of an incident that will have no wider impact on this weekend’s event,” the game mentioned.

Formula One chairman Chase Carey mentioned earlier than the beginning of the season that the game wouldn’t cancel a race even when a driver examined positive.

“We encourage teams to have procedures in place so if an individual has to be put in quarantine, we have the ability to quarantine them at a hotel and to replace that individual,” he mentioned then.

The unique season-opener in Melbourne in March was cancelled after a McLaren worker examined positive earlier than the observe motion had began.

Racing Point have been within the headlines on observe as properly this season, with their pink automotive a lookalike of final 12 months’s title-winning Mercedes and topic to an ongoing protest by Renault. The crew are fourth, only one level behind McLaren.