Alfa Romeo boss Frederic Vasseur tests positive for Covid-19

Alfa Romeo Racing has announced that the Hinwil-based outfit’s Team Principal Frederic Vasseur is forced to miss the pre-season running after testing positive for the Covid-19.

Vasseur has become the latest high-profile F1 person who has contracted the coronavirus after Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll, Lewis Hamilton, Toto Wolff, Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris had tested positive for Covid-19 previously.

The Frenchman is not displaying any serious symptoms, but he has decided to stay at home in France, missing the only pre-season testing that is set to begin on Friday.

Alfa Romeo’s statement said: "Team Principal, Frederic Vasseur, will not attend the pre-season test taking place in Bahrain between March 12th and 14th.

"In the course of his regular schedule of Covid tests, Mr Vasseur had a positive result and, according to the protocols set out by the French authorities, he immediately self-isolated in his home. A second PCR test, performed two days later, returned a negative result. Mr Vasseur does not display symptoms and is in good spirits.

"However, in the interests of safety of Mr Vasseur himself, the team, all fellow competitors and the whole community and in respect of French regulations, Mr Vasseur will not travel to Bahrain and will continue operating from home for the next seven days, as required by the local authorities.

"Mr Vasseur will be fully operational and connected to the garage for the duration of the test, and no Deputy Team Principal will be named, with no further impact predicted on our operations this week,” said the statement.

Alfa Romeo will field an unchanged driver line-up with Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi staying for a third year together. The team’s 2021 challenger, the C41 is an evolution of its predecessor and will be powered once again by Ferrari’s power unit.