Sergio Perez is not present at Silverstone for media activities today ahead of the British Grand Prix.
The Racing Point driver is unable to attend the track on Thursday following an inconclusive Covid-19 test result.Under Formula 1’s regulations for carrying out Closed Events during the pandemic, all personnel allowed within the confines of the circuit must present negative test results every five days. Following his inconclusive result, Perez is understood to be awaiting the results of a new test, which if negative will allow him to attend the first day of practice on Friday.
If Perez is unable to participate tomorrow, Racing Point may have to run one of its reserve drivers. The team has an arrangement in place with Mercedes to use its reserves Stoffel Vandoorne or Esteban Gutierrez if needed.
Perez is not the only person due to attend this weekend’s race who is unable to enter the track today due to an inconclusive test result. RaceFans editor Keith Collantine is also awaiting the outcome of a second Covid-19 test in 24 hours in order to cover the event.
As of last week, Formula 1 had reported in excess of 10,000 Covid-19 tests over its first three race weekends, only two of which had returned positive results.
Don't miss anything new from RaceFans
Follow RaceFans on social media:
2020 F1 season
- Pictures: Wrecked chassis from Grosjean’s Bahrain fireball crash to go on display
- Bottas vs Rosberg: Hamilton’s Mercedes team mates compared after 78 races each
- F1 revenues fell by $877 million in Covid-struck 2020 season
- Hamilton and Mercedes finally announce new deal for 2021 season
- F1 audience figures “strong” in 2020 despite dip in television viewers
Jere (@jerejj)
30th July 2020, 15:59
Weird. Hopefully, the eventual outcome doesn’t turn out to be positive, though.
ColdFly (@)
30th July 2020, 16:58
Indeed, @jerejj.
PS I hope the same for Perez’ test.
BasCB (@bascb)
30th July 2020, 18:59
Ha, indeed. Although, I would be in for seeing what Vandoorne can do in last years mercedes, a car he knows prett well from testing @coldfly, while we wouldn’t have an alternative for Keith at short notice
Jere (@jerejj)
30th July 2020, 20:22
@coldfly @bascb
Unfortunately, he has tested positive, so is now officially out of the event.
BasCB (@bascb)
30th July 2020, 20:53
yeah, not a joke anymore @jerejj, and on top of that I read somewhere that Mercedes mentioned that Vandoorne will be concentrating on the next Formule E race, so he won’t be stepping in for Sergio.
So Esteban Guttierez? Or will they be able to draw in Russel? Would Williams go along?
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
30th July 2020, 20:19
Yup, positive for Checo
Nick T.
30th July 2020, 20:46
Only 2 positives out of 10,000 is pretty remarkable and F1 should really promote that accomplishment.
DAllein (@)
30th July 2020, 16:01
Renault should immediately protest Racing Point for copying the virus!
Neel Jani (@neelv27)
30th July 2020, 16:03
Fingers crossed for @keithcollantine and Checo!
Christopher Rehn (@chrischrill)
30th July 2020, 16:04
If the second test comes back inconclusive too, does that mean he is unable to partake? Or must he test positive in order to be removed from the weekend?
Elder Beserra (@eldermetal)
30th July 2020, 16:32
If that’s the case, then I believe he’ll do a third test. Either way, if the second test result comes as inconclusive, he’ll be unable to participate in Friday activities due to the average 24h waiting period of getting the tests results.
GT Racer (@gt-racer)
30th July 2020, 16:56
@chrischrill It’s my understanding you need to get a clear negative test result to be cleared to take part.
I think an inconclusive result requires you self isolate until a future test comes back negative. If the test comes back positive then you & anyone you came into contact with will have to self isolate for 14 days.
bosyber (@bosyber)
30th July 2020, 20:28
The latter of which others on this page now mentioned is the case @gt-racer, @chrischrill – ah, there’s now an update on this site Racefans.net: Perez goes into quarantine ahead of British GP after testing positive for COVID-19
formevic (@formevic)
30th July 2020, 16:09
Hmm.. five seconds penalty for Vettel
Adam (@rocketpanda)
30th July 2020, 16:29
If he has to be subbed out, I really hope they take Vandoorne, not Gutierrez. It’d be interesting to see what Vandoorne could do away from Alonso/McLaren, especially given how decent he’s been in Formula E. Gutierrez… other than sponsorship, I’m not sure why he’s still floating about.
Hope Perez & Keith are good.
Kibo
30th July 2020, 17:37
@rocketpanda According to Belgian media, Mercedes already confirmed that Vandoorne’s priority is formula E next week so it will be Gutierrez if Perez isn’t racing.
LMB-F1 (@luis)
30th July 2020, 21:15
Gutiérrez is a reserve Mercedes driver in his own right, he does not have that position for a sponsorship, Mercedes does not need it.
Gutiérrez in a good driver.
ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
30th July 2020, 16:41
Hope you’ll be okay @keithcollantine
Depailler
30th July 2020, 17:08
Agreed. Hope all well Keith.
jamt
30th July 2020, 17:15
Inconclusive?, The nice way to say that the first test was positive?. You may explain further.
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
30th July 2020, 17:26
They do come back as inconclusive sometimes, and the only thing you can do is take a second test
Witan
30th July 2020, 17:39
I hope he is OK but the cynic in me members that the option clauses in his contract need to be exercised by tomorrow.
magon4 (@magon4)
30th July 2020, 18:47
+1
Sumedh
30th July 2020, 17:58
Hope all is ok with you Keith.
Thanks,
Sumedh
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
30th July 2020, 18:06
and that is how you lose…your job. for nothing.
ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
30th July 2020, 18:41
@peartree Jennie Gow just confirmed Sergio came into contact with a small group of Racing Point team members who are also in self-isolating and being retested too.
The highest protection measure might be to deny entry to all Racing Point team. Might as well cancelled the brake ducts trial.
Bart
30th July 2020, 18:48
The brake ducts legality is still inconclusive also. Maybe Sergio and his team came too close to them?
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
30th July 2020, 19:21
@ruliemaulana lol There’s something about RP and reproducing someone elses parts.
@john-h move on, studies have already determined that it’s normal, not new at all, the world just wasn’t aware of how these patogens live.
John H (@john-h)
30th July 2020, 20:48
@peartree eh?
John H (@john-h)
30th July 2020, 19:03
Yep. Got any better ideas on how to manage this situation @peartree? We’re all ears.
Postreader
30th July 2020, 18:36
The greater question would be, of course, how he got it. But at this point, community transmission is so widespread and there are massive numbers of people who get it without symptoms, and more, probably without a viral load high enough to turn out a positive result in the PCR tests.
Mark (@mrcento)
30th July 2020, 19:06
I see Esteban Gutierrez is meant to be the one who’ll drive if Perez can’t
A Stroll and Gutierrez driver pairing in a car as good as that Racing point is almost beggars belief.
Would be like Gaston Mazzacane and Tarso Marques lucking out and both finding themselves called up to race in 2004 for Williams BMW at the same time.
Anyways, hope both Perez and Keiths re-tests both come back negative.
Ben Rowe (@thegianthogweed)
30th July 2020, 20:01
Oh come on, this is just one weekend. Basing Perez’s performance over the past 2 weekends, Stroll has been better, so on that basis, you could say Stroll is better than Perez. One weekend with Gutierrez and Stroll isn’t that bad. I think stroll has got better this year. He’s outqualified Perez twice in a row. Finished close to Perez in the 2nd race and comfortably beat him last time out by around 30 seconds.
I am no way suggesting that in the long term Stroll will be better than perez, but he is certainly getting better. Gutierrez isn’t quite as bad as people remember him IMO. Grosjean was reasonably highly rated in 2016. Gutierrez had terrible luck in the few races where the car was capable of scoring a heap of points which grosjean got. They it went unnoticed by many that when the car was poor, Gutierrez was often the one of the two to finish further up the grid. He admittedly got no points at all, but to be more realistic, he should have had a quite a few had more luck gone his way.
As a back up driver, with all the experience he has with multiple different teams, I think he is a very reliable option for a one off race, or possibly several.
bosyber (@bosyber)
30th July 2020, 20:30
I sort of agree @thegianthogweed, though with a normal quarantine of 14 days, it’s likely to be at least both Silverstone weekends, provided he does not get seriously ill.
marcusbreese (@marcusbreese)
30th July 2020, 19:07
@keithcollantine I hope it proves to be negative! And if not, get well soon.
bosyber (@bosyber)
30th July 2020, 20:31
Indeed @marcusbreese let’s not forget @keithcollantine either, wishing you well, take care!
iFuel
30th July 2020, 20:16
The F1 app just notified that he’ll miss the gp dis to testing positive
bharat (@bharat141)
30th July 2020, 20:16
He tested positive and will miss the race. RP yet to announce a replacement. Wish Perez a speedy recovery.
Nerrticus (@nerrticus)
30th July 2020, 20:41
I know it won’t happen but i would have loved to see Russell get the shot. GUT is so uninspiring (I used to call him the King of 11th Place) let him drive the Williams…
Seeing how GR handles a better Mercedes powered car, how well he fares against STR, and maybe getting his first points finish. It would have been much more fun to watch!
(And I hope Keith and Checo get well soon!)