Many will remember the difficulties that Formula 1 encountered in organizing the 2020 championship. Covid-19 created a lot of problems for a calendar that had been defined and revised many times. This was to try to dodge the pandemic which, ferociously, did not loosen its grip. After two years – and despite the dense vaccination campaign – the data on infections continues to be worrying and even the next season could be an obstacle course again.
Formula 1 is the most global sport there is. Therefore, by this nature, it is more exposed to cluster risk. Hence the need to impose restrictions which, in past years, have manifested themselves in the form of security ‘bubbles’ inside the paddock. An iron protocol, highly effective, which has proved to be largely valid in preventing the spread of the virus among the thousands of people who are used to working in Formula One.
But these precautions may no longer be enough because, despite the very high number of vaccinated people in Western countries, the virus continues to create problems. This is not the place for scientific insights, just to underline that the variants of the original strain have made us enter a new difficult phase, what experts call the fourth wave.
It goes without saying that F1 is thinking of new tools to keep the situation under control and to allow normal operations, starting with the winter official testing sessions that will start in just over a month, in Spain. Precisely for this reason, Formula One is planning a massive vaccination campaign for all those who are part of the organization. From the drivers to the track staff.
This is the opinion of Bruno Famin, Director of Operations within the sport division of the FIA, who reported that in the offices at Place de la Concorde in Paris, they are well aware of the fact that, in some states, vaccination is mandatory to carry out certain events. Therefore, Formula 1, as a whole, is considering the possibility of adapting to this state of affairs. Even if nothing has been decided.
The point of view of the former Peugeot engineer is related to what is happening in Australia, a very strict nation in terms of pandemic prevention. The weekend which is marked with the classic red circle is that of April 8-10, when the Melbourne Grand Prix will be held, the third round of the 2022 championship.
And in the land of kangaroos some serious difficulties could arise in the presence of unvaccinated people. Nole Djokovic knows something about it, as his situation is still unknown after having entered national borders with a very dubious visa and questions regarding the veracity of the information it contained and which guaranteed him – or at least it was his intention – a medical exemption from vaccination against COVID-19.
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The case of the famous tennis player serves to explain how it is not necessary to assume that, in some situations, it is possible to carry out activities with a simple negative test, even if repeated daily. The situation is very thorny and the first side effects begin to show themselves in F1. The Barcelona tests will be held behind closed doors. There will be no public in the stands and there will be enormous restrictions on the media front as well, as reported by funoanalisitecnica.com
But this is even a secondary factor because COVID certificates for drivers may soon be required, a document that may be needed to give them access to the garages. For privacy reasons, at the moment, it is not possible to know which of the 20 drivers that make up the 2022 F1 line-up is actually vaccinated. And with how many doses. And it is difficult to understand how the protagonists could react to such a decision being imposed.
There are also ambiguous positions that should be remedied once and for all. Like that of those who wanted to “challenge” the procedures set up by F1. This is Alan Van Der Merwe, driver of the Medical Car. The South African driver has contracted Covid-19 twice and has declared that he does not intend to get vaccinated.
Not a good sign in a time of general crisis that could once again force Formula 1 to carefully manage process of organizing the championship. Details are expected shortly and diplomats are working to stipulate specific agreements with each country to allow the smooth running of a calendar that in 2022 will include 23 races. Covid permitting.
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