Breaking news
Formula 1
Bottas escapes action for possible COVID protocol breach
Valtteri Bottas has been given the all-clear by the FIA for not breaking Formula 1’s social bubble rules when he returned home to Monaco after the Austrian GP.
Jonathan Noble
Edited: Jul 10, 2020, 3:02 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The Finn and his Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc were under investigation by the FIA’s COVID-19 delegate to see if they had breached the Code of Conduct when they travelled back home after the first Red Bull Ring race.
While there is no restriction on where F1 drivers and personnel can travel to between events, everyone attending closed-door races is required to stick within their strict sub groups to minimise the chance of an infection spreading.
After looking at evidence of what the two drivers did between the races, the FIA concluded that Leclerc’s actions in meeting friends outside of the Ferrari bubble may have broken the rules.
A letter was sent to Ferrari urging it to ensure that everyone within the team followed the Code of Conduct. With a similar warning having been sent last week after Sebastian Vettel spoke without a mask to Red Bull’s Christian Horner and Helmut Marko in the paddock, it has been made clear that any further breaches could result in a stewards hearing being called.
On the Bottas front, the FIA was satisfied that the Mercedes driver had not been in close contact with anyone outside his social bubble, and had undergone the required testing, so the governing body decided that no similar letter was required to be sent to his Mercedes team.
The FIA is acting tough on ensuring that the coronavirus protocols are followed as much as possible, despite the near 10,000 tests conducted on F1 personnel over the two weeks in Austria having not thrown up a single positive result so far.
Read Also:
- Williams explains Toto Wolff’s shareholding in F1 team
- 2020 F1 Styrian GP practice results, what if qualifying is cancelled?
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl said on Friday morning that he felt it important F1 did teams did not start taking things for granted after the success of the first Austria weekend.
“I think it's simply important to make sure that even after this first race, which really worked out very well in terms of the measures that are in place, that we don't get complacent or feel too safe,” he said.
“I can only speak for McLaren. Both drivers stayed here, together with me as well. What happened in other teams I cannot really judge.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Honda "surprised" by Mercedes progress during lockdown
Next article Horner gives "definite no" to Vettel return to Red Bull
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jonathan Noble
Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours
Formula 1
Formula 1
Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours
The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season
Formula 1
Formula 1
The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season
Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress
Formula 1
Formula 1
Australian GP
Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress
More from
Valtteri Bottas
Cadillac to investigate high-speed Mexico GP failure that led to angry Valtteri Bottas reaction
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
Cadillac to investigate high-speed Mexico GP failure that led to angry Valtteri Bottas reaction
Valtteri Bottas "pretty confident" of staying for F1 2027 amid Colton Herta rumours
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
Valtteri Bottas "pretty confident" of staying for F1 2027 amid Colton Herta rumours
You Ask The Questions: Valtteri Bottas
Formula 1
Canadian GP
You Ask The Questions: Valtteri Bottas
More from
Mercedes
The 'difference' between Kimi Antonelli's F1 title and Lewis Hamilton's according to Toto Wolff
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
10 h
The 'difference' between Kimi Antonelli's F1 title and Lewis Hamilton's according to Toto Wolff
Marco Antonelli: "I saw the champion in Kimi after his Australia crash"
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
15 h
Marco Antonelli: "I saw the champion in Kimi after his Australia crash"
Latest news
NASCAR VP explains Carson Hocevar, Josh Berry penalties
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Martinsville II
6 h
NASCAR VP explains Carson Hocevar, Josh Berry penalties
Colton Herta to run Cadillac FP1 in Brazil as FIA superlicense quest continues
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Mexican GP
6 h
Colton Herta to run Cadillac FP1 in Brazil as FIA superlicense quest continues
NASCAR issues penalties to Carson Hocevar and Josh Berry for Martinsville brake-checks
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Martinsville II
7 h
NASCAR issues penalties to Carson Hocevar and Josh Berry for Martinsville brake-checks
NASCAR making progress with short track show but drivers still want more
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Martinsville II
8 h
NASCAR making progress with short track show but drivers still want more
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe