Covid-19

COVID-19

F1 race directors test positive for Covid-19 ahead of Miami GP

F1 race directors test positive for Covid-19 ahead of Miami GP
Charles Leclerc of Ferrari (C) enters turn one during the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2022 at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne, Australia, 10 April 2022. EPA-EFE/JAMES ROSS AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT
By Reuters
28 Apr 2022
0

LONDON, April 27 (Reuters) - Formula One race directors Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich have both tested positive for Covid-19, raising questions about who will take charge of next week's inaugural Miami Grand Prix, British media reported on Wednesday.

A well-placed source confirmed to Reuters that the news, first reported by the Daily Telegraph and Sky Sports television, was correct.

A spokesman for the governing FIA said medical information about its personnel could not be disclosed “unless it is relevant to the running of an event”.

Sky said it understood both men had tested positive after last weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Italy’s Imola circuit.

Travel to the United States currently requires a negative test taken no more than a day before departure, regardless of vaccination status.

Practice for the May 8 race starts on Friday, May 6.

Portuguese Freitas and German Wittich were appointed in February as alternating replacements for now-departed Australian Michael Masi following a review of last year’s controversial season-ending race in Abu Dhabi.

Masi changed safety car procedures late in the race, a decision that effectively handed the title to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

Should neither race director be available for the race at the Hard Rock Stadium, other options could be British veterans Herbie Blash and Colin Haywood.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Toby Davis)

Gallery

"Information pertaining to Covid-19, vaccines, how to control the spread of the virus and potential treatments is ever-changing. Under the South African Disaster Management Act Regulation 11(5)(c) it is prohibited to publish information through any medium with the intention to deceive people on government measures to address COVID-19. We are therefore disabling the comment section on this article in order to protect both the commenting member and ourselves from potential liability. Should you have additional information that you think we should know, please email [email protected]"

Investigations

News & Analysis

Features

Newsletters

Community

DM168

Daily Maverick © All rights reserved

Please peer review 3 community comments before your comment can be posted

You’ll miss it when it’s gone...

It’s hard to imagine South Africa without journalism. Then again, it was unthinkable that we would be without electricity as much as we are. Daily Maverick is free to read. We don’t have a paywall because we believe that everyone, regardless of their financial status, should be able to access the news. Which gives our journalism a greater chance of broader impact on society.

If you agree that our work makes South Africa a better place (and want to see us keep doing it) then please consider joining Maverick Insider and supporting our journalism.

You choose the amount and you can cancel at any time.

JOIN THE CAUSE
Lightbulb
MavericKids vol 3

How can a child learn to read if they don't have a book?

81% of South African children aged 10 can't read for meaning. You can help by pre-ordering a copy of MavericKids.

For every copy sold we will donate a copy to Gift of The Givers for children in need of reading support.

A South African Hero: You

There’s a 99.8% chance that this isn’t for you. Only 0.2% of our readers have responded to this call for action.

Those 0.2% of our readers are our hidden heroes, who are fuelling our work and impacting the lives of every South African in doing so. They’re the people who contribute to keep Daily Maverick free for all, including you.

The equation is quite simple: the more members we have, the more reporting and investigations we can do, and the greater the impact on the country.

Be part of that 0.2%. Be a Maverick. Be a Maverick Insider.

Support Daily Maverick→
Payment options