FIA: 'We can manage corona cases in the paddock now'

As soon as the season starts, all parties involved should travel like a 'bubble' and avoid contact with the 'outside world' as much as possible. This is in order to keep Formula 1 corona free, but should contaminations occur, this is not immediately a big problem. In fact, the FIA is sure that they can maintain control.

Changed situation

"I think the situation between now and Melbourne is quite different. Because of the knowledge of the virus there is now a reasonable difference", says Gerard Saillant of the FIA's medical committee against Sky Sports F1, "It is possible to prevent and anticipate a lot". And with that knowledge, Saillant does not expect it to come to a standstill immediately when contaminations are detected.

"If we have one positive case, or ten positive cases, it is perfectly manageable through a special path for positive cases. From a medical point of view it is not a problem", with which Saillant indicates that the protocols that will come into force are sufficiently comprehensive to isolate infections and prevent further spread.

Unpredictable situation

In Melbourne, Formula 1 was confronted with a situation that was unpredictable. The FIA was criticized for that, because for a long time it remained silent and unclear about what they were going to do. This is something that FIA President Jean Todt wants to avoid when the season starts in Austria.

"We want to make sure that when we get to the first event on the calendar we don't run into an unpredictable situation again," says Todt, "Our experts are working on that now." In other words, the FIA tries to anticipate every conceivable scenario so that there is no chaos.

Salient, however, is that it is important that there is a clear line when one can and cannot continue, which one must anticipate. "We need to know where the right line is and when it is impossible to continue. But for now I don't think it's a problem for us."