A strict new Coronavirus lockdown for locals in northern Italy could pose new problems for Formula 1 and MotoGP teams.
Italy has been the worst affected European country during the Covid-19 outbreak with the number of cases spiking to almost 6,000 and 233 deaths confirmed, predominantly in the north.
Amid the dramatic rise, the government announced on Saturday that locals would not be allowed to leave or enter several regions from Monday with fines given to those who broke the quarantine.
Included in this ‘red zone’ is the Ferrari base at Maranello, the Pirelli factory in Milan, the Yamaha MotoGP team in Lombardy and Valentino Rossi’s home region of Pesaro e Urbino.
Unimpacted by these new measures, however, are AlphaTauri and Ducati as well as riders Andrea Dovizioso and Danilo Petrucci.
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The immediate impact on F1 is limited with most personnel heading to the season-opening Australian Grand Prix believed to have already departed Italy and will face screening measures upon arrival.
Questions though are being asked about proceeding rounds in Bahrain, which announced no fans will be present for its race on March 22, and Vietnam on April 5.
Meanwhile, MotoGP cancelled the premier class event in Qatar this weekend and the second race in Thailand has been rescheduled for September.
The current Coronavirus measures in Italy are set to be in effect through April 3 and though exemptions could be granted under a provision which allows for employees to travel for serious matters, whether that would include motorsport is unknown at this time.