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India's Formula 1 circuit is now used as a quarantine shelter

India's Formula 1 circuit is now used as a quarantine shelter

31-03-2020 11:09

GPblog.com

In the fight against the coronavirus, all tools are used to combat the virus. Formula 1 also helps in a direct and indirect way. For example, the circuit of India helps as a quarantine place.

The Buddh International Circuit was used as a Formula 1 circuit between 2011 and the more than five kilometre long circuit has since been used even more often as a racing circuit. Now, however, the track serves a different purpose, because the Indian government has now renamed the circuit a quarantine area for foreign employees, reports Autosport.com.

Indian Grand Prix

The workers were supposed to leave India's capital, Delhi, to return to their own village or city, but the government has now prevented this. Since COVID-19 in India has caused 1,200 infections and 32 deaths (figures come from worldometer.info), the government has opted for a complete lockdown and the workers will be housed on the circuit.

The lockdown is set for March 25th and will last until April 14th. Then the workers may return home, but until then the former F1 circuit will serve as shelter. The circuit itself was no longer in the picture for several years, after the owners of Jaypee Group had run into financial problems. The F1 will therefore not return soon, making Vettel the only winner of the Indian GP for the time being, with three victories between 2011 and 2013.