Ferrari bans non-critical travel, Melbourne Grand Prix in doubt
Formula One super team Ferrari has banned all non-critical travel in a bid to keep its team away from the coronavirus outbreak in Italy. Now it is unclear if teams will be clear to race in Melbourne.
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Formula One super team Ferrari is scrambling to protect its crew from coronavirus as the health crisis escalates in Italy, where the team is based.
The world’s oldest surviving and most successful Formula One team is in Spain for its testing program and has banned all non-critical travel.
The measure is part of extraordinary contingency plans the group is putting in place to keep its team away from the virus breakout in Italy, where 15 people have died and there are 650 confirmed cases.
Ferrari’s Italian base is in Maranello, and it has ordered staff who have been in virus breakout areas to work from home. Its headquarters remain open but it has placed strict restrictions on who can go in and out.
The sport’s governing body, the FIA, said it was “closely monitoring the evolving situation’’.
It would “if necessary take any action required to help protect the global motorsport community and the wider public”.
Ferrari principal Mattia Binotto said the team was “very cautious and aware” it had to avoid exposure.
“Certainly it’s a concern,’’ he said.
Italy’s other Formula One team, Alpha Tauri, ordered staff who had been in “red zones in Italy” to stay home.
It is unclear whether teams from virus breakout areas would be cleared to race in Melbourne.
Australian Grand Prix chief Andrew Westacott said the health and safety was “paramount” ahead of the March 15 event.
Many teams travel to Melbourne via Bahrain and Dubai but flights through the UAE were temporarily suspended this week because of confirmed cases of the virus in the region.
Bahrain hosts the second race of the season. The Chinese Grand Prix in April has already been postponed.
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Originally published as Ferrari bans non-critical travel, Melbourne Grand Prix in doubt