A few days after announcing his retirement from Formula One, veteran Alfa Romeo driver Kimi Raikkonen has tested positive for Covid-19 and will miss this weekend’s 2021 Dutch Grand Prix.
The 41-year-old Finn, who will turn 42 next week, will be replaced by reserve driver Robert Kubica, who last raced for Williams in 2019.
“Kimi is displaying no symptoms and is in good spirits. He has immediately entered isolation,” said Alfa Romeo in an official statement.
FiA’s – Formula 1’s governing body – Covid-19 protocols require the immediate isolation and then re-testing of anyone designated a close contact of someone who has a positive test result but Alfa Romeo has said that “all close contacts have been sorted according to the FiA protocols”.
Reportedly, the majority of F1 personnel have received a Covid-19 vaccine.
After testing positive, Raikkonen becomes the seventh F1 driver to contract Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic status in March 2020.
Raikkonen now joins the infamous Covid-19-contracting group that includes Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, Mercedes’ seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, McLaren’s Lando Norris, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly.