Perez to make Barcelona F1 return after negative COVID test
Sergio Perez will make his Formula 1 return with Racing Point at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix after testing negative for COVID-19.
Perez was ruled out of the British Grand Prix two weeks ago after he tested positive for COVID-19, forcing him to enter quarantine.
Despite completing the required isolation period, Perez remained positive for COVID-19 when tested ahead of the second Silverstone race, meaning he could not race in the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix.
Racing Point called on Nico Hulkenberg as a stand-in for both events, but was “99% sure” that Perez would be able to make his return in Spain.
The team announced on Thursday morning ahead of media day at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya that Perez had now tested negative for COVID-19, meaning he will return for the Spanish Grand Prix.
Racing Point team principal Otmar Szafnauer said last week that Perez would have been replaced by Hulkenberg had he not been fit to race in Spain.
Plans had been in place to get Perez in the car for the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix had he tested negative despite varying levels of guidance from Public Health England over quarantine rules.
Szafnauer explained how the team was initially given a wide range of when Perez may test negative.
“We consulted a lot of experts, including the lab that we used for all of our staff at Silverstone, and we consulted the Eurofins experts as well,” Szafnauer said.
“You’ve got to remember, this coronavirus is a novel virus, which means people don’t know that much about it.
“The experts gave such a big range for when Checo would pass negative, that it was worthwhile doing. They us gave a range of one week to four or five weeks.
“They said any time in that range, he could test negative, and it was all dependent on when he was first infected, which nobody can predict.
“It made sense for us to try to get our contracted and our normal driver in as opposed to a stand in [for the 70th Anniversary race].
“I think we did absolutely the right thing to continue to test him, to see what was going to happen.”
Related video
Why Mercedes gets uncomfortable when the pressure goes up
Mercedes would be "foolish" not to expect repeat of tyre issues
The inevitable consequence of the Liberty F1 popularity boom
Sell out crowds at Formula 1 races are the norm rather than the exception these days, as grand prix racing is enjoying a massive boom under Liberty Media. But the Spanish Grand Prix highlighted numerous issues some circuits may face as demand for F1 soars
The danger for Red Bull in its Barcelona F1 team orders choice
OPINION: Red Bull walked into a team orders saga on its way to taking a Spanish Grand Prix 1-2 last weekend, where it took the lead of the 2022 Formula 1 world championships for the first time. But its decisions have added an element of risk to later races.
Why Mercedes' Spanish GP gains aren't as grand as they seemed
Mercedes' strong showing in last weekend's Spanish Grand Prix prompted team boss Toto Wolff to say it had halved its deficit to the leaders and its Formula 1 title chances were back on after a rocky start to the 2022 campaign. But a closer inspection of the team's performance suggests its gains aren't as grand as they first appeared
What's next for the Green Red Bull controversy?
From the 'pink Mercedes' to the 'Green Red Bull', the Silverstone-based team has received suspicious glares from up and down the Formula 1 paddock over its car design exploits. But after being cleared by the FIA over its Spanish Grand Prix updates amid a backdrop of cries of foul play, what's next in this saga?
Spanish Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
In an unusually hectic Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc was denied a dominant performance by his Ferrari engine letting go which allowed Max Verstappen to pick up the pieces. But numerous flashpoints kept the race twisting and turning throughout, with one perfect score from an emerging contender
How Verstappen overcame his and Red Bull’s errors to win in Spain
Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari engine disaster offered an open goal for Max Verstappen and Red Bull to strike, but the reigning Formula 1 world champion still had to solve multiple errors and profit from a begrudged assist from team-mate Sergio Perez, which created an unexpectedly eventful Spanish Grand Prix
Why Red Bull can win a Spanish GP that looked perfect for Ferrari
Formula 1's return to Spain on Friday ended with Ferrari leading the way from Mercedes, while Red Bull could only manage third fastest overall courtesy of Max Verstappen. But its chances of victory are far from remote with a deeper dig into the times despite Ferrari's strong start...
The key aspects of Porsche and Audi's planned F1 entries
The VW Group’s German superpowers of sportscar racing have all but confirmed they are coming to F1 when the next set of engine rules come into force in 2026. Here's why both manufacturers are all set to take the plunge, and crucially how it might work