Pirelli F1 employee is second Australian Grand Prix Coronavirus case

2020 Australian Grand Prix

Posted on

| Written by

A second person connected with Formula 1’s Australian Grand Prix has tested positive for the Coronavirus while in Melbourne.

The sport’s official tyre supplier Pirelli confirmed one of its members of staff has contracted Covid-19.

“A member of the Pirelli F1 team has yesterday tested positive for Covid-19 in Melbourne,” it said in a statement. “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.

“Pirelli is closely monitoring the situation in line with public health policies and company guidelines.”

The first person to test positive for the Coronavirus while F1 was in Melbourne was a McLaren team member. They are understood to be recovering, while 14 other members of the same team who were in contact with the first case have been put in isolation for two weeks while they await test results.

Several F1 teams have confirmed restrictions are being placed on staff who have returned from Melbourne. Those who have returned from Australia are being kept out of the team’s factories, typically for a period of two weeks, as a precaution.

Don't miss anything new from RaceFans

Follow RaceFans on social media:

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free

2020 F1 season

Browse all 2020 F1 season articles

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

Got a potential story, tip or enquiry? Find out more about RaceFans and contact us here.

8 comments on “Pirelli F1 employee is second Australian Grand Prix Coronavirus case”

  1. The UK is in desperate need of ventilators for hospitals. Apparently manufacture requires skilled engineers. With no F1, could the F1 teams be in a position to help make them. According to the BBC “…Ford, Honda, car parts firm Unipart, digger maker JCB, and aero-engine maker Rolls Royce are among companies looking into the feasibility of switching some production…” But there’s no mention of F1.

    Anyone here in a position to put this to them?

    1. Would certainly be the least F1 can do now for the public who have subsidised them to the hilt…

      1. What a nonsense (as usual).
        F1 is not subsidised by us but funded primarily through advertising. See it’s buiness model as a predecesor to succesful companies like Google and Facebook.

        1. No, you misunderstand, as usual, but in this case maybe because I mis-worded slightly. We the public have done our bit through paying Sky and paying race promoters to the hilt. Without which contribution F1 would be in difficulties. :)

    2. Sush Meerkat
      17th March 2020, 7:47

      A 3d printer has been used to manufacture the ventilator valve in Italy, I’m sure F1 teams have them
      https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/amp/technology-51911070

      1. @Jon Bee @Sush Meerkat They do. I’ve heard talk on social media some could get used for this exact purpose, since most of them have at least some idle time and most if not all UK F1 factories are still open. Nothing confirmed yet though.

    3. F1 tends to make one-off parts. Mass production isn’t really their thing.

      Although they do have skilled labor coming out their ears.

Comments are closed.