Life in a coronavirus bubble "It was like a school camp"

In order to get the 2020 Formula 1 season underway, the FIA and the sport drew up all sorts of protocols. One of these was to live and work in a private bubble, which would absolutely minimise the chance of infection. After a full season with relatively few infections, it can be said that the approach was successful but life in the bubble has been a popular topic in a range of sports.

As little contact as possible

Alfa Romeo sporting director Beat Zehnder explained in conversation with Auto, Motor und Sport what it was like in the F1 bubble. "You get used to certain things. The team was a bubble with sub-groups with as little contact as possible."

It was not entirely contactless, because in some situations contact between subgroups was unavoidable.

"If one car is ready just before qualifying and the other has problems, then logically you take the mechanics crew from the other car with you. For me that was secondary. It was important for us that the team as a whole was safe and tested regularly."

School camp

"We really lived in our bubble during the 17 races in 23 weeks. In most cases we had a hotel to ourselves. Where that wasn't possible, we arranged for separate rooms to eat in."

But eating out was also an option every now and then. Nevertheless, Zehnder said that in the end it felt a bit like a school camp. He concluded: "We reserved a restaurant just for ourselves. We did not have the chance to get away from the team. Apart from the few free weekends in between, it was like a school camp."