2021

[john ruston]

Vaccinations will not be sorted for you youngster racing drivers until late spring/early summer then three weeks before they kick in and twelve weeks for second blast.
Could be mid Summer before things crack on assuming they get on top of new variants.
It could be better than last year but not that much better.
Probably question marks of most of major meetings up to and including Silverstone Festival.

[billy bleach]

“
New COVID restrictions in France - article doing the rounds

“France has just announced that arrivals from non-EU countries must have had a negative test 72 hours or less. There may be exemptions for truck drivers but all others will still have to quarantine for seven days, even with a negative test. Some exemptions but this will make life difficult for F1 people from GB even passing through France. It will also impact Alfa Romeo as Switzerland is not in EU. We'll see if the sport can get exemptions.”
The arrogance is breathtaking. What makes F1 people a special case? 5 F1 drivers have had Covid which as a % of a group is massive . Covid doesn’t discriminate . Any Country welcoming in these people into their Country would be playing with Political fire

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

“
New COVID restrictions in France - article doing the rounds

“France has just announced that arrivals from non-EU countries must have had a negative test 72 hours or less. There may be exemptions for truck drivers but all others will still have to quarantine for seven days, even with a negative test. Some exemptions but this will make life difficult for F1 people from GB even passing through France. It will also impact Alfa Romeo as Switzerland is not in EU. We'll see if the sport can get exemptions.”
The arrogance is breathtaking. What makes F1 people a special case? 5 F1 drivers have had Covid which as a % of a group is massive . Covid doesn’t discriminate . Any Country welcoming in these people into their Country would be playing with Political fire

I reckon F1 will pay for vaccines for anyone coming into the F1 paddock and get round the difficult PR and 'messaging' by donating the same amount of vaccines or more to one of the less developed countries.

[chillibowl]

i would imagine by the time of the first race if not already, there will be many F1 and team personnel who have already received the vaccine...they just wont advertise that they have.

i cant imagine that the Stroll's or Latifi are waiting for their Canadian government spot in line.

but as a fellow Canadian, i dont have a problem with that. their needs are different then mine and i enjoy the entertainment they provide. i suspect most here accept that athletes and sports provide a very necessary and important function...although i cant imagine what will happen when LH gets vaccinated.

if im being honest though, F1 might not be the global sport to start with...i think there should first be a push to vaccinate the Olympic athletes in order for the games to go ahead and promote a message of global solidarity. declining American hegemony i think almost necessitates this.

games not war!

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

i would imagine by the time of the first race if not already, there will be many F1 and team personnel who have already received the vaccine...they just wont advertise that they have.

That’s all very well but what evidence is there that they still can’t be a spreader giving it to other people? (None...)

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by peebee2

That’s all very well but what evidence is there that they still can’t be a spreader giving it to other people? (None...)

none of course which is why lots of testing, contact tracing wearing masks, washing hands, social distancing within the workplace is still all massively important.

i appreciate that we are all in different places when dealing with and talking about the virus so please forgive me if i am being dismissive.

but we are talking about a sport which did just complete a very successful season and based on that success perhaps they have a better handle on what is involved then we do. for me that extends to several of the sports leagues which have competed, largely successfully, during covid.

to each their own always, but i do think it is a tad disingenuous to discuss the 2021 season as if 2020 didnt happen.

personally, i support F1's attempts to have a season this year.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

I reckon F1 will pay for vaccines for anyone coming into the F1 paddock and get round the difficult PR and 'messaging' by donating the same amount of vaccines or more to one of the less developed countries.

I’m interested how you think that might help them avoid travel restrictions before whole populations are immunised?

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by peebee2

I’m interested how you think that might help them avoid travel restrictions before whole populations are immunised?

That’s easy. They are VERY important people and generally above “the public” so have nothing to do with them.

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

Brazil has a new Covid strain. Can’t help thinking that 2021 will end up Europe based with Don’t care Russia and Money talks Middle East supporting again ...

Agree - I've had that feeling for some time. Even though here in Oz the GP has been re-scheduled for November, I still reckon it's unlikely. Racing in or near Europe is much more contained - teams use their own trucks, motorhomes etc. Middle East only a short flyaway and nature of countries / circuits visited help with containment.

As soon as it is a flyaway, there's a lot more moving parts and risk points for infection. Yes, vaccines are starting to roll out but many estimates seem to suggest end of 2021 at best for herd immunity in a number of countries so it feels to me that 2022 is going to be the earliest opportunity for a return to some kind of "normal".

[Adam43]

Leclerc has COVID and it isolating at home.

https://twitter.com/charles_leclerc/...235004931?s=21

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Leclerc has COVID and it isolating at home.

https://twitter.com/charles_leclerc/...235004931?s=21

A suggestion this might be his secomd case?

[BTCC frog]

Originally Posted by chunterer

A suggestion this might be his secomd case?

He got in trouble at the start of the year for mixing with people outside his bubble (I'm guessing that this is where the rumour came from), but this is the first time he has actually got it.

[S griffin]

That’s the 5th F1 driver in the past 12 months to test positive. Hope Charles gets well soon

[ascarracinguk]

Originally Posted by S griffin

That’s the 5th F1 driver in the past 12 months to test positive. Hope Charles gets well soon

As awful as it sounds, now is a good time to get it if youre an F1 driver.

[Lancsbreaker]

Originally Posted by S griffin

That’s the 5th F1 driver in the past 12 months to test positive. Hope Charles gets well soon

I note that he has recently been in Dubai - which appears to be a somewhat common thread for infections......... I'd have thought these guys would have more sense than to zoom off to known hotspots.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Lancsbreaker

I note that he has recently been in Dubai - which appears to be a somewhat common thread for infections......... I'd have thought these guys would have more sense than to zoom off to known hotspots.

And there's a 24 hour GT race on at the mo, which seems a bit odd considering.

The Dubai circuit is one I strongly felt could be another back up venue for the end of the season in the ME region, but Dubai seems a bit of a covid minefield at present.

[billy bleach]

As predicted - uproar about charter flights of overseas tennis players arriving whilst Australian nationals languish overseas unable to return home....

[bella]

it's weird because it's the government stuffing up the civilian repatriation flights and arrangements on arrival causing the issue, not the separate arrangements made for professional sports people.

it's interesting to see how high the positive case numbers are amongst the players compared to the f1 paddocks moving around last year. that's not going to do anyone in any sport any good.

[P38 in workshop]

The best news of 2021 so far-Alex Zanardi was speaking to his family in recent days.Much more significant than rumours or paint jobs.

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

As predicted - uproar about charter flights of overseas tennis players arriving whilst Australian nationals languish overseas unable to return home....

Massive amounts of uproar here in Melbourne - amongst thousands and thousands of comments and posts on the subject, virtually no support for the tennis - but many really supportive of the approach taken by the Grand Prix to "postpone" until November.

It's not just Australian stuck overseas either. There are thousands of people who live in Victoria but who holidayed in other States who have not been permitted to come back to their home State at all - not even the opportunity to quarantine for 14 days. Looks like that restriction is starting to ease a bit now but the comparison of that and flying in 1200+ tennisors has wound many up to fever pitch.

Originally Posted by bella

it's weird because it's the government stuffing up the civilian repatriation flights and arrangements on arrival causing the issue, not the separate arrangements made for professional sports people.

it's interesting to see how high the positive case numbers are amongst the players compared to the f1 paddocks moving around last year. that's not going to do anyone in any sport any good.

So far, there have been positive tests on two planeloads, meaning that all those on each plane have had to go into "hard" quarantine - not able to leave their rooms at all for 14 days.

Originally Posted by P38 in workshop

The best news of 2021 so far-Alex Zanardi was speaking to his family in recent days.Much more significant than rumours or paint jobs.

Great news! We almost need to replace the word "positive" (when it comes to attitude) with "Zanardi" - he really has been and still is the standard bearer for positive attitude.

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by ascarracinguk

As awful as it sounds, now is a good time to get it if youre an F1 driver.

Almost sounds like a thought a certain f1 team boss had last year...

Originally Posted by bella

it's weird because it's the government stuffing up the civilian repatriation flights and arrangements on arrival causing the issue, not the separate arrangements made for professional sports people.

it's interesting to see how high the positive case numbers are amongst the players compared to the f1 paddocks moving around last year. that's not going to do anyone in any sport any good.

What, you mean governments are screwing up/over citizens? Why not give them more and more control over our every movement? What can go wrong?.....


On another topic, I've got an unrealistic, hopefully fun hypothetical for everyone: say hamilton and ineos went to red bull and said we want to provide sponsorship to the red bull team, and hamilton wants a 2 year contract with option for a third year. But, he doesn't want verstappen as a teammate, he wants verstappens seat next to perez. What do you think red bull does? What do you do? Take the short term marketability, sponsorship and this era's goat? Or stay on the long term plan with verstappen?

Then, does mercedes pay bottas to go away to get verstappen? Would they risk a pairing of russell/verstappen being combustible? Do they honor bottas' one year deal and keep russell at William's one more year for verstappen? Would they lock in verstappen and have him sot out a year to honor bottas deal and bring in russell? What other options would verstappen have for a drive for this year without risking missing the boat on a mercedes drive?

All just for fun, as obviously I'm making up a scenario, but it's the offseason.

[P38 in workshop]

Given that the top man at Ineos owns 30% of the Mercedes team,some of that seems unlikely.Could be a useful investment for him because the America's Cup team he sponsors are said to have had some new foils made in Brackley to overcome their previous performance deficiency and they have done extremely well with them in recent days.

[Derwent]

I think that all professional sport should be shut down until the pandemic is over. The new version of the virus is obviously much more contagious and we have seen people in all sorts of sports, particularly football getting.
I can't see how elite sportsmen are any more important than anyone else. I am doing my bit stuck at home, I did not get to my little place abroad last year and I didn't do any racing, but I am still alive fortunately. Sadly I knew people who are not. The need to have football, motor racing, tennis or Olympics is all about greed.
Perhaps it is also time for the promotors to look at where they have events, I would think very highly of Lewis if he said I don't want to race in the six (?) countries that have dreadful human rights records, the ones we go to only because they pay the promotors millions.

[RWill2073]

[QUOTE=RWill2073;4029637]Almost sounds like a thought a certain f1 team boss had last year...



What, you mean governments are screwing up/over citizens? Why not give them more and more control over our every movement? What can go wrong?.....


On another topic, I've got an unrealistic, hopefully fun hypothetical for everyone: say hamilton and ineos went to red bull and said we want to provide sponsorship to the red bull team, and hamilton wants a 2 year contract with option for a third year. But, he doesn't want verstappen as a teammate, he wants verstappens seat next to perez. What do you think red bull does? What do you do? Take the short term marketability, sponsorship and this era's goat? Or stay on the long term plan with verstappen?

Then, does mercedes pay bottas to go away to get verstappen? Would they risk a pairing of russell/verstappen being combustible? Do they honor bottas' one year deal and keep russell at William's one more year for verstappen? Would they lock in verstappen and have him sot out a year to honor bottas deal and bring in russell? What other options would verstappen have for a drive for this year without risking missing the boat on a mercedes drive?

All just for fun, as obviously I'm making up a scenario, but it's the offseason.[/QUOTE]

Originally Posted by P38 in workshop

Given that the top man at Ineos owns 30% of the Mercedes team,some of that seems unlikely.Could be a useful investment for him because the America's Cup team he sponsors are said to have had some new foils made in Brackley to overcome their previous performance deficiency and they have done extremely well with them in recent days.

Sigh....

Originally Posted by Derwent

I think that all professional sport should be shut down until the pandemic is over. The new version of the virus is obviously much more contagious and we have seen people in all sorts of sports, particularly football getting.
I can't see how elite sportsmen are any more important than anyone else. I am doing my bit stuck at home, I did not get to my little place abroad last year and I didn't do any racing, but I am still alive fortunately. Sadly I knew people who are not. The need to have football, motor racing, tennis or Olympics is all about greed.
Perhaps it is also time for the promotors to look at where they have events, I would think very highly of Lewis if he said I don't want to race in the six (?) countries that have dreadful human rights records, the ones we go to only because they pay the promotors millions.

Might as well shut down all sports for the flu then, as well.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by RWill2073

Might as well shut down all sports for the flu then, as well.

Back to this I see.

Richard