McLAREN have taken unprecedented steps to protect members of staff from the coronavirus.
The Woking-based team have banned anyone who has been in China in the last 14 days from their premises – including their motorhome here in Barcelona for F1 testing.
Carlos Sainz puts his McLaren through its paces in BarcelonaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
As Spaniard Carlos Sainz walks along the pit lane, McLaren will ban anyone who ha visited China in the past fortnight from their Barcelona premisesCredit: EPA
The ban extends to visitors, including Chinese journalists and photographers, despite them being cleared to travel from the virus-hit country.
Journalist Frankie Mao, 34, who travelled to Paris from Shanghai before jetting to Barcelona, was urged to communicate with the team over the phone.
And while he says he is suffering no effects of the virus, he fully understands McLaren’s precautions.
He told SunSport: “Obviously I didn’t expect that given I had been staying at home in the last three weeks before starting the trip.
“My temperature was when I entered the airport in Shanghai and again on the plane, and all was fine.
“Honestly, I don’t have a specific feeling as I can understand. I also don’t blame the team, who just follow their instructions.”
We continue to monitor the situation and will revise our policy as circumstances change, while working with F1 and the FIA.”
McLaren chiefs
A McLaren spokesman said: “Given the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak and based on recent updates to UK government and World Health Organisation directives, the McLaren Group has issued a policy setting out restrictions and conditions we believe prudent to safeguard the health and well-being of our people, contractors and customers and protect our operations across our McLaren Applied, McLaren Automotive and McLaren Racing businesses.
“Among these measures is a precaution that anyone who has travelled from China in the last 14 days is not permitted to enter a McLaren Group operated building or facility for up to 14 days.
“We continue to monitor the situation closely and will revise our policy as circumstances change, while working with Formula 1 and the FIA.”
This year’s Chinese GP has already been postponed due to the virus, which has claimed more than 2,000 victims worldwide.
The race was due to be held on April 19th but has been delayed until later in the season allowing for health authorities to tackle the epidemic.
Carlos Sainz goes through winter testing at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as McLaren act to safeguard staff from the coronavirusCredit: Getty Images – Getty
The race was due to be held in Shanghai, 500 miles from Wuhan where the virus originated.
And Mao, who also lives in Shanghai, says it was the right decision to postpone the GP.
He added: “It’s very unfortunate but given the situation in China, it’s better to postpone the race.
“Right now, in China, the priority is fighting against the epidemic, and trying to get everything back to normal at the same time.
“However, it will inevitably compromise the general preparation work for Chinese GP, because even as most companies’ offices reopen, some staff work at home.
“That is the reason the promoter requested to postpone the race to a late time of the year when all things should be fine.”
Meanwhile, organisers from the Vietnam GP say they are pressing ahead with their plans to host a race in Hanoi on April 5th.
F1’s governing body, the FIA and F1 chiefs are monitoring the situation but Tran Trung Hieu, deputy director of Hanoi’s tourism department, says it is going ahead.
He said: “The F1 race will not be postponed or delayed. Although this is a sports event, it has a very huge impact on Vietnam and Hanoi’s tourism.”
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Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
