The FIA is facing a potential headache ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, after Formula 1’s two race directors reportedly tested positive for Covid-19.
This year marked the first time in F1 that two people held the critical position, with Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich taking over from Michael Masi, who was relieved of the role following last year’s controversial finale in Abu Dhabi.
However, on Wednesday, Sky Sports cited “very senior sources” in claiming both had tested positive for COVID just a week before F1 heads to Florida for the first-ever race around Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
Asked to respond, the FIA said the report was “unsubstantiated” but did note they would only confirm the medical status of personnel if it was “relevant to the running of an event”.
While there is still a reasonable amount of time for one or both to recover and return a negative test, the situation does present a problem if a replacement does need to be found.
Of course, the obvious choice might appear to be Masi given his recent F1 race director experience, but it is understood he is not considered an option.
Instead, Herbie Blash, veteran deputy race director under Charlie Whiting and a current advisor to Freitas and Wittich, could step in or Colin Haywood, who was due to be the deputy race director in Miami.
Sky Sports also mentioned DTM race director Scott Elkins as a possible alternative but none of that trio, Blash, Haywood or Elkins, have held the main role in F1.
The most extreme outcome could be that the lack of a race director threatens the event itself going ahead, but that is highly, highly unlikely at this point.