5 Minute Test Anyone?24 Oct 2020 06:54
Well, well...
In the world of Formula One (the "pinnacle of sport") the fastest test is necessary!
5 Minute test anyone?
Both F1 Racing Points drivers (Perez and Stroll) have had covid19. Stroll at the Eifel GP, checked out of driving after a tummy bug. Transpires he had covid19!!
Stroll was confirmed to have coronavirus after the Eifel GP, where he did not race because he was unwell, but he was not tested at the event.
At the Nurburgring event two weeks ago, he said Stroll had first felt unwell with an upset stomach at the preceding race in Russia and in Germany he could not race because he had "flu-like symptoms and [was] just not well in himself and couldn't exercise, together with a tummy bug".
Fever, fatigue and diarrhoea are three of the possible symptoms of Covid-19 listed on the websites of the World Health Organisation and the US government's Centre for Disease Control.
But when challenged in a news conference on Thursday as to why the team did not consider Covid-19 was a possibility, Szafnauer (Racing Point team boss) said: "I'm not sure he had flu-like symptoms. He had a stomach upset."
When it was pointed out to him that he had said Stroll did have flu-like symptoms, Szafnauer said: "Well, if I did, I misspoke. He had a stomach upset and he's had it consistently. Lance called his doctor. I'm not a physician."
F1 has strict protocols to minimise the risks of coronavirus, but Szafnauer revealed he had tried to persuade Stroll to take part in the race weekend when the driver said he wanted to withdraw on the morning of qualifying.
"The doctor told him the symptoms aren't Covid symptoms, he didn't feel up to coming into the paddock," Szafnauer said. "I tried to get him to run on Saturday and to race. I said, 'Come on, upset stomach, you had it in Russia. Come and race.' And he said: 'I don't feel up to it.'"
Stroll flew home to Switzerland on the morning of the race without being tested, but took a test when he arrived back. This returned a positive result.
"Hindsight is a wonderful thing," Szafnauer said. "But he tested twice post-Russia negative. The symptoms were there post-Russia. But at the time, with the information we had, it was unnecessary. It didn't even come into my mind, go and do a test. Even the test on Sunday was scheduled long, long ago."
Szafnauer defended the team's Covid procedures, insisting they "test more than any other business on the planet", and saying all employees are tested twice a week, and anyone travelling to races is tested in addition on their return to the UK.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/54645756
Podcast at
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08w3v48
Seems to me that the test regime F1 has gone with (PCR?) returns results to slowly.
A fast test is required!
What a PR opportunity!
Carl's test is fast (<300 seconds), sensitive and specific.
If F1 cannot get this right, covid testing needs a better test!!
Carl's test - fast (tick), sensitive (tick), spe
Sign In
Follow the stocks
