Last week, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc declined to take a knee in solidarity with Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton systemic racism protest gesture and this week, the Frenchman was given an official warning after breaking Formula One’s Covid-19 coronavirus protocols.
Team personnel are required to stay within their “bubbles” between races, but Leclerc had returned to Monaco this week between the Austrian and Styrian Grands Prix at the Red Bull Ring and was pictured with friends.
An FIA spokesperson said that Ferrari had been given a reminder and warned that “any further breaches could be referred to the stewards”. Officials can prevent personnel attending races if they ignore the rules.
Formula 1’s Covid-19 code states: “Any time outside the venue during a covered event or between covered events must be spent with other members of the same group, keeping interaction with persons outside that group to a minimum.”
Leclerc defended his actions by saying: “I did [go] back home. On the other hand, I’ve been tested twice before coming back. So in two days, testing twice, both negative obviously. That’s it.”
Meanwhile, Racing Point’s Sergio Perez had the fastest time in the first practice session for this weekend’s 2020 Styrian Grand Prix…
