Report: Lewis Hamilton and Co. Handed Mandatory Vaccination Notice as F1 Tightens Covid Precautions

The last couple of seasons have been quite exhausting for Formula One as the pandemic wreaked havoc over the world. Travel restrictions came in, and a handful of countries backed out of the F1 racing calendar citing the spurt in the number of cases.

Of course, sometimes, the pandemic looked like a blessing in disguise as numerous circuits including Qatar, Istanbul, Portimao, Imola, and Mugello, made their way onto the calendar, triggering a hike in viewership.

But, most of the time, it was absolute chaos for F1, as a lot of well-known circuits backed out at almost the last minute, leaving the sport’s think-tank scrambling for ways to fill the void on the calendar. Apart from that, there was also the occasional fear of mass virus spread after a driver or an engineer tested positive.

Hence, after the prolonged anxiety, F1 is finally set to break out of the bubble from the start of the 2022 season.

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F1 imposes mandatory vaccination for members in the paddock

Weeks after the Australian GP organizers demanded that all of the F1 members must offer complete vaccination proof in order to enter the track, F1 has now made the move that not only applies to Melbourne but all the racing destinations.

According to Auto Motor Und Sport, the entire paddock must own the proof of vaccination before taking part in the season-opener, the Bahrain Grand Prix. It doesn’t just apply to F1 members working within the team or the community, but also VIP guests, media representatives, the FIA, and external partners.

As of now, all 20 drivers have received the vaccination after the United States, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia made it mandatory last year. And the only driver yet to receive the vaccination is the medical car driver, Alan van der Merwe.

So, with F1 looking to push one final time in a bid to end their battle against the pandemic, will the drivers finally heave a sigh of relief amid a potential lift in restrictions?

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