Lewis Hamilton has COVID-19, will miss F1’s Sakhir GP

SAKHIR, Bahrain — 7-time Formulation Just one winner Lewis Hamilton has analyzed positive for COVID-19 and will miss this weekend’s Sakhir Grand Prix.

The Mercedes workforce stated in a assertion Tuesday that Hamilton was analyzed three situations past week and returned a damaging consequence each time, the past on Sunday afternoon at the Bahrain Global Circuit.

“But he up woke Monday early morning with moderate indications and was informed at the similar time that a call prior to arrival in Bahrain experienced subsequently analyzed positive,” the workforce stated. “Lewis, consequently, took a more check and returned a positive consequence. This has since been confirmed by a retest.”

Hamilton is in isolation in accordance with the overall health protocols in Bahrain.

“Apart from moderate indications, he is if not in good shape and very well, and the full workforce sends him its pretty very best wishes for a swift recovery,” the workforce assertion stated.

The 35-yr-aged Hamilton appeared to be drained at the stop of the Bahrain GP, which was marred by a crash that remaining Romain Grosjean with minimal burns to his fingers and ankles immediately after his Haas vehicle crashed and burst into flames moments immediately after the start out.

“It’s physical, this observe has often been physical. We have bought lots of significant-speed corners so I was surely feeling it,” Hamilton stated subsequent Sunday’s race. “I was sliding about a ton out there and I was not genuinely very confident how it would participate in out at the stop.”

There is one more race in Bahrain on Sunday — on Sakhir’s shorter outer circuit — ahead of the 17-race period concludes in Abu Dhabi.

Hamilton clinched the drivers’ championship past month in Turkey and has a massive guide in the standings with 332 factors, very well forward of Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas (201) and Max Verstappen (189).

He has gained 11 races this period. But his absence in Sakhir means he will not be able to acquire a thirteenth and equal Sebastian Vettel’s report, established in 2013 with Pink Bull.

Hamilton also misses out, for now, on staying able to clinch a a hundredth pole posture. His pole past weekend was the report-extending 98th of his profession.

The Mercedes workforce stated it would announce a substitution driver later in the week. Reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne was by now scheduled to travel to Bahrain immediately after Formulation E screening in Valencia.

Hamilton is the third F1 driver to check positive for COVID-19 this period, subsequent Sergio Perez at Silverstone and Lance Stroll in Germany.

Formulation Just one organizers stated Hamilton requirements a damaging check ahead of staying permitted to return to the F1 paddock and, consequently, stays a doubtful starter for the last race of the period in Abu Dhabi.

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