All Formula 1 personnel will be tested for COVID-19 every two days as part of the plans to restart the 2020 season in the coming months.
Plans are afoot to start the season in Australia in early July after the first ten races of the season were either postponed or cancelled outright due to the global pandemic.
It was revealed last week that the sport intends to create a “biosphere” at races, conducting mandatory testing for COVID-19 on all personnel before entering the venue.
F1 managing director of motorsport, Ross Brawn, went into detail regarding the testing protocols that are due to be put in place on Monday.
“The FIA are doing a great job putting together the structure we need. Everybody will be tested, and will have clearance before they can go into the paddock,.
“And then every two days, they’ll be tested whilst in the paddock. That will be with an authorised authority, and we’ll keep that system, certainly for all the European races, we’ll be using all the same facilities to conduct that testing.
“We can ensure that everybody is tested within that environment and tested regularly.”
Brawn also confirmed that while social distancing measures were virtually impossible to enforce within teams, the skeleton crews in attendance would be required to isolate from other teams.
“We’ll have restrictions on how people can move around in the paddock.
“We cannot socially distance within a team, you can’t. So we have to create an environment within itself, that is effectively a small bubble of isolation.
“The teams will stay within their own groups. They won’t mingle with other teams. They’ll stay at their own hotels. There’s no motorhomes going to be there. We’ll make sure that respects all the requirements.
“There’s a tremendous amount of work going on between ourselves and the FIA. I’m very encouraged by what I’m seeing and what I’m hearing that we’ll be able to provide a safe environment.”
