The second case of COVID-19 in the Formula 1 paddock was confirmed on Monday by a positive result from a Pirelli employee.
It has been just a couple of days since Formula 1 announced the cancellation of the Australian Grand Prix just two hours before the first practice due to the coronavirus threat and the positive result of a member of the McLaren team.
As a result, the operational team members who attended the first days of activities during the race weekend, are now returning to Europe and taking similar self-care procedures as the staff were told not to return to their factories to prevent contracting the virus.
Now, the there is a worker of the Italian company [Pirelli] and according to recent reports, the employee is being treated in Australia; Pirelli detected and reported it in a statement issued by Formula 1. Pirelli said that the person ‘not had any contact with third parties that required anyone else to take special preventative measures’.
“A member of the Pirelli F1 team has yesterday tested positive for COVID-19 in Melbourne. The person concerned is now following all the relevant procedures put in place by the Australian health authorities. These authorities have confirmed to Pirelli that this person has not had any contact with third parties that requires special preventive measures to be taken for other people.” read the statement issued by Pirelli.
It is not clear when the 2020 Formula 1 season will start, as the following races in the calendar, Bahrain and Vietnam rounds have also been postponed. The Dutch Grand Prix is the fifth round of the season and as things are going, the race in Zandvoort could be in danger of postponement or even cancellation.
