Lewis Hamilton admits it is a “concern” one member of the Mercedes team tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of the Eifel Grand Prix.
Earlier on Thursday, the Formula 1 championship leaders confirmed the first case of the coronavirus for a team since Sergio Perez back at Silverstone, although infections among other personnel have increased in recent weeks.
The fact Mercedes personnel were allowed into the paddock and the drivers to their media session on Thursday at the Nurburgring was proof the situation is under control, however.
And for Hamilton, the positive case was more of a reminder of the threat Covid-19 poses.
“Naturally it’s sad to hear for the guys that work so hard,” he said via GPFans.
“We’ve obviously had this week in between [races], and the guys work so hard to stay safe and be here on the weekend, so it’s definitely a concern.
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“It’s obviously important for everyone around the world to be continuously reminded that this thing has not disappeared, it’s still here.
“We still need to follow protocols, to wear a mask, to keep our hands clean, to keep our distances.”
No info on who the member is has been made public, but Hamilton was confident their absence would not have a major impact on Mercedes.
“I can’t say what’s it’s going to do to the weekend,” he continued.
“We have a lot of great people within our team, it’s not just about one person, so we’ll try and make him proud this weekend.
“It’s just going to take a different type of work, a lot of work to make sure we continue on without any disturbances.”
Adding his reaction, teammate Valtteri Bottas expressed faith in the protocols that have allowed F1 to return to racing since July.
“As a driver, the last thing you want is to get it,” said Bottas. “It would definitely mean missing at least one race, maybe even more, and we’ve had one example of that already.
“Of course, it’s about being as cautious as you can, following the protocols, trying to be sensible, and staying in the bubble.
“Sometimes it can be a matter of luck because it’s pretty contagious. We’re all trying to do the best we can not to get it.
“Of course, it’s unfortunate that one team member got it, but I fully trust how the team is handling everything, following all the protocols and doing everything we can to make sure it stops there with that one case, so I have all the trust in them.”