Well we've already had Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll and of course Lewis Hamilton. Now it's Lando Norris who has fallen foul of the virus.
He apparently has mild symptoms and is self isolating. I thought we could have a thread about it as I doubt he'll be the last one this year. Of course sods law says now I've started such a thread, he will be
BBC F1
McLaren driver Lando Norris has tested positive for Covid-19 while on holiday in Dubai and is self-isolating.
The 21-year-old said he had lost his sense of taste and smell and a subsequent test had come back positive.
"McLaren can confirm that Lando Norris tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday in Dubai," said a statement from the Woking-based team.
"He is currently on holiday ahead of a planned training camp and is now self-isolating at his hotel for 14 days."
The Bristol-born driver, who finished ninth in the 2020 Formula One drivers' standings, added that he was currently feeling well and reported no other symptoms.
He secured his first podium placing last season by finishing third in the Austrian Grand Prix in July.
Norris will have completed his isolation period before the end of the month.
Pre-season testing is due to take place in Spain in early March, with the Australian Grand Prix scheduled for 21 March.
However, there are concerns that the season-opener could be delayed, with the race promoters, Australian government and F1 bosses in discussions over the matter.
........ and the UK now tops the drivers championship with 2 from Mexico and Canada with one each.
Seriously though, I wish Lando a swift and full recovery. I guess the advantage F1 drivers have is that they are amongst the fittest people on the planet and more likely than you and I to shake it off easily.
Im sure Lando wont be the last high profile person from within the F1 ranks given their continual exposure on planes and high volume traffic areas.
* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left
“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)
* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
I must confess one of the things that worries me, even given that F1 drivers are super fit, mentally strong etc, what will be the long term implications of having been Covid afflicted. We saw that Lewis was decidedly second rate in his comeback race, and even Lance Stroll seemed to be a less significant factor and wasnt the same improved version we saw pre his infection.
Not F1 but I read that some football players are really suffering and are unable to resume training despite technically being Covid clear / negative / cured. That is despite their being being classified certainly as elite athletes, as F1 drivers.
An interesting story on the long term effects. Some of the numbers are quite frightening as this short quote from the article highlights..
.... between 10 percent and 88 percent of Covid-19 patients will experience at least one symptom for many weeks or months. Some of these can be life-altering; one study found that 50 percent of non-ICU patients reported a significant change to their cognitive functioning
XcraigX wrote: ↑3 years ago
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The problem is that the "bubble" was for show. Most of the drivers went outside the bubble frequently and got it from outside sources.
This is exactly the same thing as going on in the world. The isolation seems to apply only to some. If not everyone does it, it ends up failing.
Yeah that....
The sort of quarantine that Australia is demanding is far more restrictive than F1 bubbles and biospheres have been..... the tennis players are about to find out. Im sure that there must be some sort of allowance to allow them to train, but the routine for other arrivals (currently restricted to Aussies with exceptional other cases only) is that they check into a predetermined quarantine hotel, and their key card gives them one access only. The key wont allow access a second time. ie if the occupant tries to sneak out. Food is delivered to their door and they cannot leave their room for the duration.
Interestingly the hotel tht was selected for the tennis players(for the Aus Open) to quarantine in also is home to a number of wealthy permanent residents. They complained of in effect their complex becoming Covid Central in effect and not sure whether by injunction or agreement the Tennis Players / organisers have to find a new hotel for them to do their 14 day quarantine.
* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left
“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)
* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
Sorry @Ruslan it's not even 25%, 4 out of 20 is one fifth, not a quarter. So it's only 20%.
Lots of people in the various teams have had the virus, it just doesn't get so widely reported. McLaren, Williams, Racing Point, Mercedes, and Ferrari have all had publicised cases that I recall, there could be more for all I know.
It's still a bigger percentage of drivers than you'd expect when they're suppposed to be being so cautious. In some ways it's a good thing though, it reminds people that anyone can catch this and be affected by it, so we all do still need to be really careful.
Star wrote: ↑3 years ago
Sorry @Ruslan it's not even 25%, 4 out of 20 is one fifth, not a quarter. So it's only 20%.
Yea, I spotted that just now. Late night, drinking Cognac.
Lots of people in the various teams have had the virus, it just doesn't get so widely reported. McLaren, Williams, Racing Point, Mercedes, and Ferrari have all had publicised cases that I recall, there could be more for all I know.
It's still a bigger percentage of drivers than you'd expect when they're suppposed to be being so cautious. In some ways it's a good thing though, it reminds people that anyone can catch this and be affected by it, so we all do still need to be really careful.
Yea, I have seen an overall figure of like 76 or 93 cases or something like that. But I don't know the whole population "as risk." I do know how many drivers there are (actually it was 23 last year).