(FILES) In this file photo taken on August 04, 2019 Red Bull’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen (L) and Mercedes’ Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas compete during the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring circuit in Mogyorod near Budapest, Hungary. – The curtailed Formula One season will start with two races behind closed doors in Austria on July 5 and July 12 followed by six other grands prix in Europe, the organisers said on June 2, 2020. (Photo by Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP)
Formula One’s travelling circus was given a medical thumbs-up on Saturday when organisers announced that everyone involved at this weekend’s season-opening Austrian Grand Prix had tested negative for the COVID-19 virus.
In a statement, organizers in Spielberg said 4,032 personnel had been tested between June 26 and July 2 without a single positive result.
Formula One added that aggregated information, following further tests carried out every five days, will be published once a week.
Everyone who enters the F1 paddock must have a clean bill of health and be tested regularly.
This weekend’s race is the first of two on successive Sundays at the Red Bull Ring and is being run behind closed doors under strict health and safety protocols.