Formula 1

TEAMS MEET TONIGHT : BIG DISCUSS ABOUT CORONAVIRUS SOLUTION

Published

3 years ago

27/02/2020

TEAMS MEET TONIGHT : BIG DISCUSS ABOUT CORONAVIRUS SOLUTION

The Formula 1 teams are planning a meeting in Barcelona tonight where all team bosses will be present, F1Lead.com understands.

The teams are very worried about their travel schedules and also how their staff have to fly to the upcoming races where there are confirmed cases of the coronavirus, and how to solve the situation if, for example, a hotel is quarantined with team members.

The situation is worrisome for the teams due to several aspects. These include the reputation of Formula 1, but also the country that organises it.

A colleague in the media told GPToday.net: “Today we had a meeting with the FIA Media Working Group. Formula 1 brings a lot of income to a country that organizes a grand prix, but what can you, as a country, tell your people if you would bring the coronavirus as well? I don’t think that’s a good reputation.

“The other aspect is that certain impacted areas can’t enter Vietnam and Bahrain. Ferrari and AlphaTauri may be in danger of not gaining entry to those two countries, as well as Brembo who provides brakes to Ferrari and Red Bull, among others.

Haas and Alfa Romeo would have no support for their engines. Pirelli, who is the official tyre supplier of F1, may not be able to get their staff into the country which would lead to not enough tyres being available.

“And what about Australia? They have always been very strict. Suppose someone there finds out that they’re infected – this will lead to two weeks in quarantine in Australia. Then you’re going to miss the race anyway and maybe even that one after that. And who else is in that hotel?

“There’s a lot of questions and we’re hoping to get answers within 24 hours because in a little over a week everyone will have to fly to Melbourne.”

Meeting between team bosses and Chase Carey
Tonight there is a meeting involving the F1 team bosses to talk about the problems and look for a solution. There are suggestions to postpone the start of the season and see how it develops.

The team bosses will have to think about a resolution, but F1 CEO Chase Carey will also fly in to sit down with all the team bosses here at the circuit in Barcelona on Friday, after which a decision will be made regarding which route F1 will take.