F1's COVID-19 protocols mean it can now race 'anywhere', says FIA
The FIA believes the COVID-19 protocols it has put in place means that Formula 1 can now feel comfortable racing 'anywhere' governments allow it in.

Following intense efforts from motor racing’s governing body and F1’s owner Liberty Media, the sport has been able to pull together a full calendar of events since racing resumed in Austria in July.
Having included intensive triple headers, plus the extra logistical challenge of a Russian GP flyaway, there is confidence that the procedures in place can see it host an event wherever in the world now.
Bruno Famin, the FIA’s director of operations who is in charge of the governing body’s Covid protocols, has faith that as long as governments are happy to host F1, then the sport can hold an event in any country.
“For me the only problem is the travel restrictions from the government,” he told Motorsport.com in an exclusive interview.
“We have raced already in some countries or in some regions where the COVID situation was quite bad, and we managed it.
“I think the protocol and the people – because they are very professional – means that we have the evidence that the protocol works in all circumstances.
“The problem is the legal issue, the travel restrictions. If we have to quarantine or not, and if the local organiser has honoured the authorisation to build the event. That is the key point. It's not the protocol itself.
“I think with the protocol we can race everywhere, anywhere. But it depends on the authorisation and the possibility to travel there.”
Read Also:
F1 is hoping to pull together a more normal calendar next season, although it is unclear right now just how many of the regular events will be able to get the green light amid uncertainty about where the coronavirus pandemic will flare up over the next few months.
Famin said that in terms of planning for new rounds in the future, the FIA needs around six week's notice to get events operating.
“We always prepare four to six weeks before an event, having the first contact with the local organiser together with FOM,” he said.
“We have to organise the processes with the local authorities. We have to know how we're going to work with the testing company, and a testing lab.
“We have all these high density, low density, red zone, yellow zone areas to manage. And to know where are the limits, who is allowed to go where, how do we do the temperature check.
“It is all these details, then on the layout, on the testing process. After, it’s the official process in case of a positive case, and we are managing it with the local organiser.”

Bruno Famin
Although there has been an up tick in positive cases in recent weeks, mostly involving ancillary staff not connected to F1, the FIA or teams, Famin says that he is happy with where things are at.
“From the very beginning of the season after the Melbourne event, when we restarted in Austria, the challenge was not to avoid positive cases,” he said.
“It was of course to avoid as much as we can. But the main thing was to have processes, which enable us to keep racing, to keep doing the event, even having positive cases, without generating any outbreak within the paddock or within the local population. That was the challenge.
“Then having positive cases is just normal. The challenge is to be able to manage it, to identify the close contact, to isolate the close contact, to kill the beginning of possible outbreak without having more trouble. That's really the challenge, for all the events where we are going.”
Related video

Previous article
Why Honda's exit will not force F1 hybrid U-turn
Next article
Banned: The full story behind Brabham's F1 'fan car'

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Author | Jonathan Noble |
F1's COVID-19 protocols mean it can now race 'anywhere', says FIA
Trending
Scuderia Ferrari Filming Day Backstage Footage
Back to Work | Valtteri Bottas' 2021 Seat Fit
F1 Explained | Mercedes Power Unit
How McLaren F1’s new investors have already made an impact
The deal McLaren concluded with MSP Sports Capital last year which will help the cash-strapped Formula 1 team pay for much-needed infrastructure upgrades, also points toward the future for F1 itself, says GP Racing's Stuart Codling.
Why Verstappen isn't interested in the hype game
In a pre-season where Red Bull has been unusually quiet, Max Verstappen has also been guarded about the team's fortunes in 2021. Even after trying the RB16B for the first time at Silverstone, the Dutchman was careful to manage expectations
The pros and cons of F1's 2021 rule changes
In the strategy for grand prix racing's future, 2021 represents a significant step towards the goal of closer racing and a more level playing field. That's the theory behind the latest raft of changes, but will they have the desired effect?
What Red Bull is trying to hide with its RB16B launch
Red Bull made no secret of the fact its 2021 F1 car is an evolution of its predecessor, but in keeping the same foundations while hiding some tightly-guarded updates with its RB16B, the team aims to avoid suffering the same pitfalls of previous years
How Albon plans to fight his way out of Red Bull limbo
Alex Albon has faced the media for the first time since he lost his Red Bull drive at the end of 2020 and dropped out of a Formula 1 race seat altogether. He has a history of bouncing back from setbacks, so here's what he must do to rise again
Ranked! Carlin's greatest F1 graduates
Carlin has helped guide enough drivers to Formula 1 to fill out an entire grid, plus a handful of reserves, to create a remarkable alumni list. With Yuki Tsunoda set to join that group, Motorsport.com has ranked its graduates to grace the grand prix scene...
Why Alfa's 2021 launch says more about its 2022 plans
Alfa Romeo launched its C41 with a revised front nose, but there's little to suggest it will surge up the leaderboard in 2021. As the team frankly admits, it's putting its eggs in the basket labelled 2022 and hoping to hold the eighth place it earned last year
Why Gasly’s AlphaTauri haven is a blessing and a curse
Red Bull opted not to re-sign Pierre Gasly even before it decided to drop Alex Albon and so the Frenchman's Formula 1 journey will continue at AlphaTauri. This has positive and negative connotations for one of last season's star performers.