Red Bull Director Out of Bahrain Grand Prix with Coronavirus

Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley will miss the Bahrain Grand Prix after testing positive for COVID-19, it was confirmed on Thursday.

The experienced key pit-wall decision-maker returned a positive test during mandatory pre-race tests and will be isolation for 10-days in line with the sport’s protocols and public health guidelines.

He joins a relatively small group of F1 staff, including drivers, who have been forced to miss races due to the virus as the sport begins a year-ending finale of three successive Grands Prix in the Middle East.

In a statement, the sport’s ruling body, the International Motoring Federation (FIA) said: “The FIA, Formula 1 and Aston Martin Red Bull Racing can confirm that during mandatory pre-race testing for the Bahrain Grand Prix, sporting director Jonathan Wheatley tested positive for Covid-19.”

The FIA said he would self-isolate for “for the full 10-day period and therefore not attend the Bahrain Grand Prix” and added that no other members of the team had tested positive.