Mercedes team member tests positive for Covid-19 ahead of Eifel Grand Prix in Germany

A team member at Mercedes has tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of the Eifel Grand Prix
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George Flood8 October 2020

A member of the Mercedes Formula One team has tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of the Eifel Grand Prix race weekend in Germany.

The truncated F1 campaign is due to get back under way at the Nurburgring this weekend as reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton bids to equal the iconic Michael Schumacher's record of 91 career victories following a frustrating third-place finish in Sochi last time out.

There are two practice sessions scheduled for Friday as usual, with a third taking place ahead of qualifying on Saturday and the race set for Sunday.

Less than 24 hours before P1 is due to begin, Mercedes have confirmed that an unidentified team member has now returned a positive test for coronavirus.

"We can confirm that a team member has tested positive for COVID-19," the team communicated via their official social media channels on Thursday.

"This has been handled and is being handled in line with FIA protocols, working closely with the FIA."

While the team member in question has not been publicly identified, the BBC report that it is neither Hamilton or fellow Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas.

Racing Point's Sergio Perez is the only driver to have tested positive for coronavirus so far this season, with the Mexican missing both the British and 70th Anniversary races at Silverstone in early August before returning to action at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.

There were a season-high 10 positive Covid-19 cases reported in F1- all among 'ancillary personnel' - after the recent Russian Grand Prix following 1,822 total tests carried out between September 25 and October 1.

However, F1 does not believe that the return of spectators at the Tuscan and Russian Grands Prix is a reason for the rise in cases.

Up to 20,000 fans are expected to attend the Nurburgring this weekend.

"Those cases and have been managed quickly and effectively without impacting the event," F1 said in a recent statement.

"The presence of fans has not affected that situation as the public was not allowed to enter the F1 bubble as per our protocol in force."

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