Pirelli is concerned about potentially being the source of a coronavirus outbreak in the Formula 1 paddock when the racing resumes.
Currently, the sport is coming up with a strategy on how best to limit the potential risk to Covid-19 through closed-door races, strict testing and increased social distancing by keeping teams apart as much as possible.
Pirelli, however, has highlighted an issue with the plan as they are one of the few entities to require access to the entire paddock.
“I know the plan of Formula 1 to keep the teams as a ‘bubble’ to avoid contacts between teams. The problem is that we are everywhere,” motorsport boss Mario Isola told Motorsport.com.
“Pirelli is in every garage with one engineer, and we already discussed that. One question was if it is possible to allocate a space in the garage just for the Pirelli engineer, the tyres and Pirelli technician in order to avoid contact with the team?”
“We also have to understand how to attend meetings inside the teams,” continued Isola.
“I prefer if they can do that via video conference for example, because the problem is that if we have anybody in Pirelli that is positive, then the risk is that we spread the virus inside all the 10 teams, or everywhere in the paddock.”
The Pirelli boss then noted how the tyre supplier is far from the only group that would need broader access to each team.
“It’s a problem that is not just affecting Pirelli, it is affecting all the companies and associations that have contact with all the teams,” he added.
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“You can think of the FIA: the FIA has contact with all the teams, for example, different suppliers, helmets, or brakes or any other component that is available to more than one team.
“So we need also specific procedures and protocols for providers that have this kind of job inside the paddock.”
Another measure Pirelli is expected to make is temporarily stopping teams from making individual selections on the number of each compound they wish to use for each weekend.
The idea is to help with the production of tyres as some teams heavily favour the softer compound while others are more conservative.
