McLaren F1 Team has released an official statement declaring their intention to pull out of this weekend’s FIA Formula 1 2020 Australian Grand Prix amid a positive diagnosis of the coronavirus for one of its team members.
Despite the sport’s governing body, the FIA, previously sanctioning that the race in Melbourne would go ahead this weekend, the widespread virus had already caused plenty of concern in the paddock with five individuals from Haas F1 Team and McLaren being put into self-isolation.
After undergoing the necessary procedural checks, McLaren has confirmed that one of their team personnel has received a positive test for the coronavirus.
McLaren has issued their ongoing support to their employee who will now enter a period of quarantine and receive full treatment by local healthcare authorities.
Following this news, the CEO, Zak Brown, and Team Principal of McLaren, Andrea Seidl, have since informed Formula 1 and the FIA of their decision to withdraw from the season-opening race as a duty of care to everyone associated with McLaren F1 and also to the team’s competitors, Formula 1 fans and wider F1 stakeholders.
The four Haas F1 Team staff members have been cleared after testing negative.
