The wording of a Covid-19 declaration letter required for entry at future UK motorsport events is raising concern ahead of the British Grand Prix.
The national association, Motorsport UK, recently gave the go-ahead for closed-door race meetings to begin again from July 4, well ahead of the two planned Formula 1 rounds at Silverstone at the start of August.
Before being granted permission to any circuit, however, all personnel who wish to be present in any capacity must sign the letter to confirm…
“I am not currently experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 and have not been in contact with anyone showing symptoms within the last 14 days, except as a healthcare professional,” the letter reads.
“If I start to exhibit any of the signs indicating that I may be infected I will immediately withdraw from the event.”
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The issue is, however, the second half of the first sentence, confirming no known contact with an infected person for 14 days, is almost impossible to give a certain answer to due to the number of asymptomatic cases of the coronavirus.
“How would you know you hadn’t been in contact with someone who was showing symptoms if they didn’t tell you, are we expected to be clinicians now too and be able to spot it for ourselves?” Pitpass quoted one official who is expecting to be at the F1 races in August.
F1 itself is thought to be taking much stricter measures, with all personnel required to provide negative tests and further testing will be conducted every 48 hours on-site.
But still, if this one letter is all Motorsport UK is doing at a national level to try and reduce the risk at race meetings, it does appear very inadequate indeed.