McLaren withdraws from Melbourne; confirmed COVID-19. Vettel says drivers could ‘pull the handbrake’ on race. A McLaren a team member tested positive for the virus.

Scuderia Ferrari German driver Sebastian Vettel says that drivers will likely take matters into their own hands if the cornoavirus pandemic surrounding the Formula 1 season opening Australian Grand Prix worsens.

With the COVID-19 outbreak being classified as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation, Sebastian Vettel has said outright that Formula 1 drivers will stand together and cancel the Australian Grand Prix should the situation worsen.

“I hope others would agree, and we hope it doesn’t get that far, but if it were to get that far then for sure you pull the handbrake,” said Vettel – “I think we are a group of 20 guys and I think we’ve got together over the last years for various circumstances on various topics, and I think we share common opinion on big decisions and that.”

Formula 1 and Liberty Media have faced much criticism from the media over their lack of handling of the coronavirus pandemic, but now the blows are coming from inside the camp with Vettel adding his name to a growing list of disgruntled drivers.

With Formula 1 motorsports managing director Ross Brawn previously warning that if any single team could not compete, the Grand Prix would not take place, a positive test in any of these five cases could be enough to see not only the Australian Grand Prix cancelled, but also the Bahrain race which is scheduled for the following week.

Sebastian Vettel continued by making clear the fact that, if those in charge could not make a decision, the drivers would, adding, “I would qualify it is a very, very big decision and ultimately, as I said before, you look at yourself. And we would, I think, be mature enough to look after ourselves and pull the handbrake in that case.”

McLaren pulled out of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix Thursday after a team member tested positive for coronavirus, throwing the race into chaos.

The employee was among at least five Formula One personnel — four from Haas — who went into isolation this week after showing flu-like symptoms typical of the virus.

“The team member was tested and self-isolated as soon as they started to show symptoms and will now be treated by local healthcare authorities,” McLaren said in a statement, adding that he would be quarantined.