Alfa Romeo boss Vasseur to miss F1 testing after positive COVID-19 test

Alfa Romeo team principal Frederic Vasseur will miss Formula 1 pre-season testing after returning a positive COVID-19 test.

Vasseur tested positive for coronavirus during a pre-event test before departing for Bahrain and immediately started a period of self-isolation at his home.

Alfa Romeo say that Vasseur is in “good spirits”, is displaying no symptoms and has since returned a negative result, though he is unable to travel to Bahrain for this week’s three-day pre-season test. No other team member has been affected.

Vasseur will continue to conduct his team principal duties from home.

“In the course of his regular schedule of Covid tests, Mr Vasseur had a positive result and, according to the protocols set out by the French authorities, he immediately self-isolated in his home,” an Alfa Romeo team statement read.

"A second PCR test, performed two days later, returned a negative result. Mr Vasseur does not display symptoms and is in good spirits.

“However, in the interests of safety of Mr Vasseur himself, the team, all fellow competitors and the whole community and in respect of French regulations, Mr Vasseur will not travel to Bahrain and will continue operating from home for the next seven days, as required by the local authorities.

“Mr Vasseur will be fully operational and connected to the garage for the duration of the test, and no Deputy Team Principal will be named, with no further impact predicted on our operations this week.

“All planned PR activities will continue as scheduled with the support of technological means.”

Vasseur is the latest member of F1 team senior management to have tested positive for the virus, with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and Red Bull’s sporting director Jonathan Wheatley also contracting the virus.

In total, six F1 drivers - Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll, Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly - have tested positive for coronavirus since the start of last season.

The first day of pre-season testing gets underway at 7am UK time on Friday morning in Bahrain.