F1 race directors test positive for Covid ahead of Miami GP – Pakistan Observer

Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich the two F1 race directors for this season have both tested positive for COVID-19.

Their unavailability raises questions about who will take charge of next week’s inaugural Miami Grand Prix.

FIA, the sports governing body, is understood to be working on a temporary replacement but a spokesman added that medical information about its personnel could not be disclosed “unless it is relevant to the running of an event”.

According to multiple reports, both men had tested positive after last weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Italy’s Imola circuit.

Practice for the May 8th race starts on Friday, May 6 but the travel to the United States currently requires a negative test taken no more than a day before departure, regardless of someone’s vaccination status.

Portuguese Freitas and German Wittich appointed F1 race directors in February as alternating replacements for now-departed Michael Masi following a review of last year’s controversial season-ending race in Abu Dhabi.

The Australian was found to have changed safety car procedures late in the race, a decision that effectively handed the title to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen over Lewis Hamilton.

After a contentious off-season riddled with speculation that the seven-time champion, Hamilton, will walk away from the sport because of Masi’s action, he was sacked in favor of a two-person approach.

Should neither race director be available for the race at the Hard Rock Stadium, options being considered include British veterans Herbie Blash and Colin Haywood.

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