Two Formula 1 drivers tested positive for Covid-19 within a week in Bahrain, leaving one under-prepared for the first race of the season and the other unable to take part at all.
The news prompted some drivers to call for the right to decide for themselves if they are fit enough to race, should they become infected. Missing race weekends means missing important championship points, after all. But there would be further implications if driver were allowed to choose to race or not, which could potentially bring extra risk to those around them.
For 2022, the third season since the outbreak began, the FIA have relaxed their Covid-19 protocols. PCR tests are now strongly advised ahead of the first race weekend of the year, but not mandatory to enter the paddock. Of course, local guidelines must still be followed in each country F1 visits.
During the height of the pandemic, teams were sealed away and press were not allowed into the paddock, with everything taking place via the internet,…