Binotto about Coronavirus: Must be prepared incase we can't race

Ferrari says Formula 1 teams need to be sure about the risks they can run during the Australian Grand Prix when it comes to the coronavirus. Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto says that F1 and FIA must ensure that there are no surprises when the teams arrive in Australia. This is mainly about staff who may not be allowed to travel or have to be placed in quarantine on arrival.

Problems with Formula 2

There is a danger that Formula 1 will come across the same as what Formula 2 is going through now. Many Italian team members are struggling to enter Bahrain for the F2 tests, which will be held there next week.

Binotto does not want to leave anything to chance and says it is too late to decide when the staff are on their way. Binotto does not want any problems as Formula 2 is currently experiencing in Bahrain. “Getting to the test has been difficult. Some of our engineers who would go to those tests have stayed at home instead," he says in a press conference that includes GPblog.

Certainty

"I think we should have certainty before we leave," says Binotto. “I don't think we can know for sure until we are in Australia. So if there are medical screenings, we need to know. You must know exactly what is going on. We need to understand what the consequences are in the event of a problem."

"Of course we have to protect our employees," says Binotto. “We have a collective and individual responsibility towards them. It is important to ensure that before we leave we have a clear picture of the entire situation."

Four teams with Italian help

Now that the outbreak has become very noticeable in Italy, the two Italian teams, Ferrari and AlphaTauri , are also the most at risk. "I would say, however, that it's not just about those two teams," says Binotto. “We offer assistance to Haas and Alfa Romeo . It will therefore be at least four teams. And then we also have Pirelli. So what will happen when these four teams cannot race? That is not my decision. "