Formula 1: Finally, some great news

By Asher Fair | Mar 16, 2020

BARCELONA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 28: Carlos Sainz of Spain driving the (55) McLaren F1 Team MCL35 Renault on track during Day Three of F1 Winter Testing at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on February 28, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) /

The McLaren Formula 1 team member who tested positive for the coronavirus is reportedly “recovering well”, and his symptoms “have gone”.

Finally, some great news.

After a McLaren team member tested positive for the coronavirus in Australia late last week ahead of the scheduled running of the 2020 Formula 1 season-opening Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, McLaren withdrew their two drivers, Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz Jr. (pictured) from the event, and it was eventually called off.

The next two races on the schedule, the Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit and the inaugural Vietnamese Grand Prix at Hanoi Street Circuit, were also called off. They had been scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 22 and Sunday, April 5, respectively.

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The season’s fourth race, the Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai International Circuit, had already been called off as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The outbreak began in China, so this race had been abandoned more than one month beforehand.

Now that the negative stuff is out of the way, yes, I did say “great news”.

McLaren have now revealed that this team member, who has remained anonymous throughout this whole sequence of events, “is recovering well”. The Woking-based team added that “[his] symptoms have gone”, according to Formula 1. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with him as he continues his recovery and with all of those affected by this pandemic worldwide.

A total of 14 McLaren team members who came in contact with this employee were placed in quarantine for 14 days, and CEO Zak Brown added to the great news, stating that they “are in good spirits”. Racing director Andreas Stella remains in Australia to support these employees.

As for the rest of the team, they have returned to the United Kingdom, but as a precautionary measure, they are not slated to return to their MTC headquarters for at least two weeks.

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The 2020 Formula 1 season is now scheduled to get underway with what would have been the fifth race on the schedule, the Dutch Grand Prix at Circuit Zandvoort, but this situation is being closely monitored given how unprecedented it is and the uncharted territory the sport and the entire globe have entered as a result of it. Hopefully the conditions will be safe in the very near future and the season will get underway sooner rather than later.

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