Williams team principal Capito to miss Saudi Arabian GP after positive Covid test

2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

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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

DateIndividual/sTeam/otherNotes
18/3/2020One team memberMcLarenRace subsequently cancelled
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
25/3/2021Two team membersAston Martin
15/7/2021Three team membersMcLarenIncluding McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown
4/9/2021Kimi RaikkonenAlfa RomeoMissed two races
7/10/2021Alan van der Merwe and Dr Ian RobertsMedical Car teamMissed Turkish Grand Prix
2/11/2021Jost CapitoWilliamsMissed Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

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2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

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Will Wood
Will has been a RaceFans contributor since 2012 during which time he has covered F1 test sessions, launch events and interviewed drivers. He mainly...

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8 comments on “Williams team principal Capito to miss Saudi Arabian GP after positive Covid test”

  1. Not the first time someone got infected despite having two doses, & probably not the last either. BTW, 12 pts ahead.

    1. 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.

      1. Jabs work. But still 20% chance is 1 on 5 people.

  2. So cases of Omicron confirmed in Saudi Arabia. What are the chances of a cancellation!?

    1. In terms of health 50/50
      In terms of political reasons 35/65 (remember Bahrain 2011)
      In terms of something else, who knows

  3. 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.

    1. 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

  4. 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.

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