Williams CEO and team principal Jost Capito will miss the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after testing positive for Covid-19, the team has confirmed.
In a statement released by Williams on Thursday morning, the team confirmed that Capito “tested positive for Covid-19 prior to travelling to Jeddah for this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix”.Despite the positive test for their team principal, Williams say that there has been “no wider impact on Williams Racing personnel and the team will continue to operate trackside as planned”.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend will be a poignant one for the Grove-based team who will be mourning the loss of the team’s founder, Sir Frank Williams, following the 79-year-old’s death last week. The team will run a tribute to him on their cars.
Williams head to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in eighth place in the constructors’ championship on 23 points – 12 ahead of Alfa Romeo.
Notable positive Covid-19 cases in F1
| Date | Individual/s | Team/other | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18/3/2020 | One team member | McLaren | Race subsequently cancelled |
| 30/07/2020 | Sergio Perez | Racing Point | Missed British and 70th Anniversary grands prix |
| 08/10/2020 | Six team members | Mercedes | |
| 13/10/2020 | Two team members | Renault | |
| 21/10/2020 | Lawrence Stroll | Racing Point | |
| 21/10/2020 | Lance Stroll | Racing Point | Missed Eifel Grand Prix |
| 30/10/2020 | Four team members | Racing Point | |
| 11/11/2020 | Simon Roberts | Williams | |
| 16/11/2020 | Mario Isola | Pirelli | |
| 26/11/2020 | Jonathan Wheatley | Red Bull | |
| 1/12/2020 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | Missed Sakhir Grand Prix |
| 5/1/2021 | Lando Norris | McLaren | |
| 13/1/2021 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | |
| 25/1/2021 | Toto Wolff | Mercedes | |
| 31/1/2021 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri | |
| 11/3/2021 | Frederic Vasseur | Alfa Romeo | |
| 25/3/2021 | Two team members | Aston Martin | |
| 15/7/2021 | Three team members | McLaren | Including McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown |
| 4/9/2021 | Kimi Raikkonen | Alfa Romeo | Missed two races |
| 7/10/2021 | Alan van der Merwe and Dr Ian Roberts | Medical Car team | Missed Turkish Grand Prix |
| 2/11/2021 | Jost Capito | Williams | Missed Saudi Arabian Grand Prix |
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2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
- Mercedes seal record eighth consecutive constructors title as Hamilton misses driver’s crown
- Analysis: Is Jeddah circuit’s layout fit for F1 or a “recipe for disaster”?
- Hamilton closes on another Schumacher record with first ‘hat-trick’ of 2021
- How Hamilton and Verstappen’s roughest scrap yet played out on the radio
- Brawn defends Masi following criticism of Saudi Arabian GP decisions
Jere (@jerejj)
2nd December 2021, 11:14
Not the first time someone got infected despite having two doses, & probably not the last either. BTW, 12 pts ahead.
nandy
2nd December 2021, 11:27
Jabs or not, it has no bearing on infection possibility. And as we are seeing with this ‘new’ super mild variant, it was discovered in the jabbed.
erikje
2nd December 2021, 13:20
Jabs work. But still 20% chance is 1 on 5 people.
pSynrg (@psynrg)
2nd December 2021, 12:54
So cases of Omicron confirmed in Saudi Arabia. What are the chances of a cancellation!?
Qeki (@qeki)
2nd December 2021, 14:54
In terms of health 50/50
In terms of political reasons 35/65 (remember Bahrain 2011)
In terms of something else, who knows
Victor
2nd December 2021, 13:00
Again? Wasn’t it him that got tested positive just a few weeks ago after going out with Raikkonen for dinner? This guy is a tool and represent a great risk for the paddock apparently.
RandomMallard (@)
2nd December 2021, 17:25
I don’t think he tested positive after Raikkonen, but he was instead forced to isolate by whatever contact tracing laws applied in the country they were in at the time
Ancient1 (@ancient1)
3rd December 2021, 8:08
However, apparently another ex-VW Motorsport exec [whose boss was one Jost Capito] has recently joined Williams as Sporting Director.
Now looking into my crystal ball [which to fair, has a huge crack in it] they say things come in 3’s.
From VW to Williams – Jos Capito, now Smeets and surely VAG F1 Power Unit.
Why did Bottas go to Alfa Romeo? Because if Williams changes from Merc to VAG PU, then Sauber will take on a Merc PU. Toto has said he can only supply/service max. 4 teams, incl AMG-Petronas, with Merc PU’s.