It was confirmed yesterday (30/7/20), that Racing Point's Sergio Pérez has tested positive for coronavirus and will miss this weekend's British Grand Prix.
Pérez is the first Formula 1 driver to test positive from the virus. Pérez has gone into self-quarantine, along with all his close contacts, as per F1's track-and-trace system.
A statement from governing body the FIA said "procedures… have provided for swift containment".
The statement adds that Perez's positive test "will have no wider impact on this weekend's event".
Racing Point said Perez was "physically well and in good spirits, but he will continue to self-isolate under the guidelines of the relevant public health authorities, with safety the ultimate priority for the team and the sport".
No word yet who will replace Pérez for Silverstone for this weekend, it could be either Mercedes reserve-drivers Stoffel Vandoorne, Esteban Gutierrez or former Renault and Force India (Racing Point in 2020) driver Nico Hulkenberg. My guess it could be anyone, Nico Hulkenberg is well liked with the team but is he available, Stoffel Vandoorne would have been the first choice but for multiple Formula E races for the next two weeks. I could see Esteban Gutierrez getting the drive than the other two. I could even see former Williams driver Sergey Sirotkin getting the drive as-well.
Also, I doubt that Pérez will not race 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Siverstone in a weeks time as-well if not the Spanish Grand Prix in two weeks; the driver who has to replace Pérez might have to race for the next three races altogether.
Anyway, get well soon to Sergio Pérez also stay safe everyone.
Predictions for this weekends Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone the home of the British Grand Prix, where seven Formula one teams (Mercedes AMG, Red Bull, Williams, McLaren, Force India, Renault, and Haas) and four Formula 1 drivers (Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, George Russell and Alexander Albon (despite having a Thai licence, Albon was born in London)) is their home Grand Prix.
So Predictions for the race, for the win, I predict Lewis Hamilton for the race win in the Mercedes. Valtteri Bottas second in the other Mercedes, and third place for Max Verstappen in the Red Bull. Don't forget Alexander Albon, the Racing Point drivers, the Ferrari drivers, and the McLaren drivers as well for a podium place.
Review of the third round of the 2020 MotoGP season once again at Circuito de Jerez, Jerez in southern Spain.
In the MotoGP race (V-twin, V4, or Inline-four 1000cc four stroke class), that was won by Petronas Yamaha SRT rider Fabio Quartararo on his Yamaha YZR-M1.
Second was Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP rider Maverick Viñales on his works Yamaha YZR-M1, he was four seconds behind Quartararo at the end. While, third was Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP rider Valentino Rossi on his works Yamaha YZR-M1 to complete a Yamaha podium whitewash, he was five and half seconds behind Quartararo at the end.
In the Moto2 race (Inline-four 600 cc four-stroke class), that race was won by Italtrans Racing Team rider Enea Bastianini on the Kalex. Second was SKY Racing Team VR46 rider Luca Marini on the Kalex, he was two seconds behind Bastianini at the end. While, third was SKY Racing Team VR46 rider Marco Bezzecchi on the Kalex, he was three seconds behind Bastianini at the end.
While in the Moto3 race (single-cylinder 250 cc four-stroke class), that race was won by SIC58 Squadra Corse rider Tatsuki Suzuki on the Honda. Second was Petronas Sprinta Racing rider John McPhee on the Honda, he he was six hundredths of a second behind Suzuki at the end. While, third was SKY Racing Team VR46 rider Celestino Vietti on the KTM, he he was fourteen hundredths of a second behind Suzuki at the end.
Finally in the MotoE race (a single make class with all the riders riding the Energica Ego MotoE bike), that was won by Dynavolt Intact GP rider Mike Dominique Aegerter. Second was Pons Racing 40 rider Jordi Torres, he was two and half seconds behind Aegerter at the end. While, third was Ongetta Sic58 Squadra Corse rider Mattia Casadei Aegerter, he was four seconds behind Aegerter at the end of the race.
Former Formula 1 driver Alex Zanardi is to return to intensive care after falling into an "unstable" condition.
Zanardi, former Jordan and Williams F1 driver, turned four-time Paralympic gold medallist, was moved to a specialist recovery centre to treat serious head injuries on Tuesday.
Zanardi, was placed in a medically induced coma and has had three operations at a hospital in Siena since a hand-bike accident on 19th June 2020.
His treatment will now continue at Milan's San Raffaele hospital.
Thoughts and Prayers to Alex's family and friends at this moment of time.
It was confirmed on Friday (24/7/20), this seasons Canadian, United States, Mexico City and Brazilian Grand Prix has been all cancelled altogether due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Canadian Grand Prix was set to be the ninth round of the season, on June 14th, United States Grand Prix was set to be the nineteenth round of the season, on October 25th; the Mexico City Grand Prix was set to be the twentieth round of the season, on 1 November 1st; and the Brazilian Grand Prix was set to be the twenty-first round of the season on November 15th.
The race in Canada is off due to country has local restrictions and travel rules that make impossible to hold a race.
While races in United States, Mexico and Brazil cannot be held because the high infection rates rising in the three countries, F1 bosses believe it would be irresponsible to hold races there.
Meaning fourteen of the first twenty-first races originally in Australia, Bahrain, Vietnam, China, Holland, Monaco, Azerbaijan, Canada, France, Singapore, Japan, United States, Mexico and Brazil had already been postponed or called off due to the pandemic.
Coronavirus, officially named Covid-19, that has killed over 630,000 people, with nearly 16,000,000, cases reported.
Meanwhile, this was also confirmed, Formula 1 has added three more races to its 2020 calendar taking the total number of races confirmed so far to 13.
Nurburgring, last time held a Grand Prix since 2013 will host a race as the Eifel Grand Prix (don't know why called it the German, European or Luxenbourg Grand Prix as before) on 11th October
Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, Portimão on the Algarve, will follow on 25th October as the Portuguese Grand Prix; meant a Grand Prix will be held in Portugal for the first time since 1996.
Then on the 1st November, Imola in Italy will host a Grand Prix for the first time since 2006, as the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix (why not call it San Marino or Dino Ferrari Grand Prix, its easy!) making it first time since 1982 that three rounds of a Grand Prix season has held in one country.
Meanwhile, the rest of the season is expected to conclude with two races in Bahrain and one in Abu Dhabi in November and December.
And F1 is working on one or two races in Asia in mid-November.
With the Vietnamese Grand Prix in Hanoi, which had been due to make its debut as an F1 venue in April, is expected to hold a race, and there is a strong possibility of a return to Sepang for the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Stay safe everyone.
Former Formula 1 driver Alex Zanardi has been transferred to a specialist recovery centre a month after suffering serious head injuries in a handbike accident.
Zanardi, former Jordan and Williams F1 driver, turned four-time Paralympic gold medallist, was placed in a medically induced coma and has had three operations at Siena's Santa Maria alle Scotte hospital since the accident during a road race near the Italian city on 19th June 2020.
In a statement, the hospital said Zanardi's sedation had been suspended, allowing him to be transferred.
"The stability of the general clinical conditions and the neurological picture allowed the transfer to a specialised centre for recovery and functional rehabilitation," it said.
Thoughts and Prayers to Alex's family and friends at this moment of time.
Review of the second round of the 2020 MotoGP season at Circuito de Jerez, Jerez in southern Spain.
In the MotoGP race (V-twin, V4, or Inline-four 1000cc four stroke class), that was won by Petronas Yamaha SRT rider Fabio Quartararo on his Yamaha YZR-M1.
Second was Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP rider Maverick Viñales on his works Yamaha YZR-M1, he was four and half seconds behind Quartararo at the end. While, third was Ducati Team rider Andrea Dovizioso on his works Ducati Desmosedici GP20, he was six seconds behind Quartararo at the end.
In the Moto2 race (Inline-four 600 cc four-stroke class), that race was won by SKY Racing Team VR46 rider Luca Marini on the Kalex. Second was Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Tetsuta Nagashima on the Kalex, he was thirteen tenths of a second behind Marini at the end. While, third was Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Jorge Martín on the Kalex, he was five seconds behind Marini at the end.
While in the Moto3 race (single-cylinder 250 cc four-stroke class), that race was won by Aspar Team rider Albert Arenas on the KTM. Second was Honda Team Asia rider Ai Ogura on the Honda, he was three tenths of a second behind Arenas at the end of the race. While, third was Rivacold Snipers Team rider Tony Arbolino on the Honda, he was four tenths of a second behind Arenas at the end.
Finally in the MotoE race (a single make class with all the riders riding the Energica Ego MotoE bike), that was won by Avintia Esponsorama Racing rider Eric Granado. Second was Trentino Gresini MotoE and Current MotoE Champion Matteo Ferrari, he was three seconds behind Granado at the end. While, third was Dynavolt Intact GP rider Mike Dominique Aegerter, he was three and half seconds behind Granado at the end of the race.
