Formula 1 Dutch GP
F1 teams scrambling for COVID vaccines before Dutch GP
Formula 1 teams could be scrambling to get their travelling staff fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before the Dutch GP following a request from the government.
Adam Cooper
Edited: Jun 4, 2021, 11:16 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The Dutch authorities have provisionally informed F1 and the FIA that vaccinations will be a requirement for all working attendees at the Dutch GP, which is scheduled for September 5.
That is potentially an issue for the younger employees of the seven British teams, as well as those working for the F1 organisation, the FIA and the media.
Saudi Arabia has already indicated a similar requirement, but teams believed that they had enough time before the inaugural race on December 5. That window has been reduced by three months.
The National Health Service vaccination rollout in the UK has now reached 30-year-olds. While the age limit is coming down and the gap between injections was recently reduced from 12 to eight weeks, it could be difficult for those in their early 20s to receive both their injections by the start of September.
Read Also:
- Why F1 was split over Bahrain’s vaccination offer
- Alonso enjoying F1 comeback more than he thought he would
- McLaren: F1 needs to act on flexi-wings if rivals run them in Baku
Earlier this year the Bahrain government offered free Pzifer-BioNTech vaccinations for anyone attending testing and the subsequent race, with the only limitation being a 21-day gap between injections.
Given the slow rollout in Italy, Ferrari, AlphaTauri and Pirelli all took full advantage of the offer, helped by the fact that the Maranello team stayed on in Sakhir for a tyre test, making it easier to reach the 21-day requirement.
Alfa Romeo is understood to have left it to the personal choice of crew members, as did the British teams, due to a legal requirement not to oblige staff to have vaccinations. While there were some takers among younger UK staff, many still chose to stick with the NHS schedule.
The F1 organisation had a policy of not taking up the Bahrain offer due to the legal requirements but in part also because of the potential negative PR from being seen to queue jump. In addition, there were question marks over how easily a vaccination received in the Middle East would eventually be translated into a UK vaccine passport.
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 Azerbaijan GP: Verstappen leads FP1 from Ferrari duo
Next article Bottas won’t take "loser's option" after early 2021 F1 setbacks
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Adam Cooper
RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024
Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024
Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team
Formula 1
Formula 1
Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team
Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility
Formula 1
Formula 1
Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility
Latest news
Jack Miller explains what he wants to achieve in WorldSBK after MotoGP exit
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
29 min
Jack Miller explains what he wants to achieve in WorldSBK after MotoGP exit
Tsolov named Red Bull, Racing Bulls reserve driver after missing out on 2027 F1 race seat
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
1 h
Tsolov named Red Bull, Racing Bulls reserve driver after missing out on 2027 F1 race seat
Argentina set to make WRC comeback in 2028
WRC
WRC WRC 2 h
Argentina set to make WRC comeback in 2028
Feature
Discover prime content
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Formula 1
By Kevin Turner
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
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