F1 has no plans to accept the Kingdom of Bahrain's offer of COVID vaccine to personnel attending pre-season testing and the season opening Grand Prix.

In just over a week's time Bahrain hosts three days of pre-season testing, and just two weeks later the season opening Grand Prix.

With many team personnel remaining in the region for three weeks, the Kingdom of Bahrain, which has seen 122,394 cases of the virus thus far and 449 deaths, has offered vaccine to those who want it.

"Due to the timescale of this year's F1 event, including testing, the vast majority of participants will be present in Bahrain for a three-week period ahead of the race," read a statement issued by the Bahrain International Circuit today.

"This, in turn, allows a unique opportunity to provide additional protection for those who wish to take up the opportunity in the form of vaccination (Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine)."

The offer would see those wanting the vaccine receive it on arrival in the Kingdom, with the second dose prior to their departure, 21 days later.

Earlier this month however, F1 boss, Stefano Domenicali insisted that priority, in terms of the vaccine, must be those most vulnerable to the virus.

"We don't want to jump the line of vaccination," he said.

Tonight, a spokesperson for F1 said: "As a UK based organisation (Formula 1) has no plans to be vaccinated as a travelling group ahead of the already established rollout of vaccines through the health system in the UK."

LATEST NEWS

more news >

LATEST IMAGES

galleries >

Click to go to the main galleries section

READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Wokingchap, 02/03/2021 9:55

"NS Biker.... I totally agree."

Rating: Neutral (0) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

2. Posted by kenji, 02/03/2021 9:27

"@ Superbird70... then all the more reason for getting vaccinated as suggested and kindly offered by the Bahraini Govt."

Rating: Neutral (0) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

3. Posted by Superbird70, 01/03/2021 23:51

"You can still be carrier if you are vaccinated. You just won't be ill yourself."

Rating: Negative (-1) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

4. Posted by NS Biker, 01/03/2021 16:23

"To turn down an offer such as this is ridiculous.
It is not "jumping the queue" s these vaccine doses are outside of what would be available in Europe or anywhere else.
The Kingdom of Bahrain could easily mandate that everyone inside the F1 bubble must be vaccinated on entry, not for their protection, but for the security of the hosting principality.
Considering that the F1 Circus will be travelling and potentially spreading multiple strains of the virus all around the world, it seems like there is the opportunity to reduce the global risk by taking up the offer.
Would you rather that a large group of global travelers showed up on your border, vaccinated or unvaccinated.?
To turn the offer down is putting the F1 teams, associated personnel as well as every country they will visit, at higher risk. "

Rating: Positive (2) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

5. Posted by kenji, 01/03/2021 14:07

"@Mad Matt....No one has really given a medical prognosis as to the efficacy over such a time window. However, would it not be prudent to carry the vacs out as it cannot be a detriment insofar as it may not work but then again it may! Actual manufacturing times for approx 2000 people would be a matter of minutes on the production lines and there would be enough doctors travelling with the teams to administer the shots. I'd prefer team members returning from overseas to be vaccinated any day as opposed to the alternative. "

Rating: Negative (-1) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

6. Posted by Mad Matt, 01/03/2021 12:25

"I find it hard to see how this could be a bribe as F1 was already committed to going there. On the other hand I can't completely agree with kenji as I'm not sure that the protection against the virus would come in to effect until the last few days the F1 circus was in Bahrain.

I can also see that it's a PR headache: Take the vaccine and people will complain that the rich have jumped the queue, don't take it and people will complain that you're travelling the world spreading the virus as you go....

Probably best that they carry on with the testing regime and wait their turn with the rest of us....."

Rating: Positive (1) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

7. Posted by Simon in Adelaide, 01/03/2021 11:16

"As someone who lives in a part of Australia where we have had around 600 cases in total and only 4 deaths directly related to COVID19 and, who has family in the UK that we are anxious to visit (5 month old grand daughter).

It is apparent that certain people/states/countries are incapable of following isolation requirements and that the only way forward is control by vaccine so, as far as I am concerned, the sooner I get the jab the better and I would not turn down an offer to be vaccinated earlier.

"

Rating: Positive (1) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

8. Posted by kenji, 01/03/2021 6:13

"This offer is double sided and in the greater good for both parties. Firstly it would help prevent any of the F1 travellers from possibly passing it on to Bahrainis and at the same time work equally in reverse. The volume of vacs would be very small in the context of the greater scheme of things. It was a generous offer but no doubt the SJW's will be out in force on this."

Rating: Negative (-1) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

9. Posted by C5, 01/03/2021 5:44

"Well that sure is something. I really wish The Circus would avoid these places, but its at least something F1 management still have the decency to turn down outright bribes like these - or probably more truthfully still fear the public reaction enough should they accept such a crooked deal."

Rating: Negative (-2) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

F1 set to turn down Bahrain vaccine offer

LATEST NEWS

RELATED ARTICLES

LATEST IMAGES

POST A COMMENT

Post your comment

READERS COMMENTS

Share this page