Alfa Romeo team principal Vasseur to miss pre-season testing after positive Covid-19 test

2021 F1 season

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Alfa Romeo has confirmed its team principal Frederic Vasseur has tested positive for Covid-19 and as a result will not be present at the sole pre-season test at Bahrain International Circuit this week.

Vasseur’s positive test was identified “in the course of his regular schedule of Covid tests”, Alfa Romeo announced in a statement. He subsequently tested negative two days later, and Vasseur is not displaying any symptoms. However, in line with local regulations, he will remain in France and not travel to Bahrain.

Alfa Romeo said the impact of Vasseur’s absence will be limited.

“In the interests of safety of Mr Vasseur himself, the team, all fellow competitors and the whole community and in respect of French regulations, Mr Vasseur will not travel to Bahrain and will continue operating from home for the next seven days, as required by the local authorities,” said the team in a statement.

“Mr Vasseur will be fully operational and connected to the garage for the duration of the test, and no deputy team principal will be named, with no further impact predicted on our operations this week.”

No other Alfa Romeo team members have been affected. Formula 1 Management said the procedures they have laid out with the FIA for managing Covid-19 will “ensure no wider impact on this week’s pre-season test which will continue as planned.”

All 10 teams will participate in the sole, three-day test beginning tomorrow in preparation for the new season.

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Notable positive Covid-19 cases in F1

DateIndividual/sTeam/otherNotes
18/03/2020One team memberMcLaren
30/07/2020Sergio PerezRacing PointMissed British and 70th Anniversary grands prix
08/10/2020Six team membersMercedes
13/10/2020Two team membersRenault
21/10/2020Lawrence StrollRacing Point
21/10/2020Lance StrollRacing PointMissed Eifel Grand Prix
30/10/2020Four team membersRacing Point
11/11/2020Simon RobertsWilliams
16/11/2020Mario IsolaPirelli
26/11/2020Jonathan WheatleyRed Bull
1/12/2020Lewis HamiltonMercedesMissed Sakhir Grand Prix
5/1/2021Lando NorrisMcLaren
13/1/2021Charles LeclercFerrari
25/1/2021Toto WolffMercedes
31/1/2021Pierre GaslyAlphaTauri
11/3/2021Frederic VasseurAlfa Romeo

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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...

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One comment on “Alfa Romeo team principal Vasseur to miss pre-season testing after positive Covid-19 test”

  1. Get well soon Vasseur.

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