McLaren have closed their paddock hospitality at Formula 1 testing at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya to anyone who has visited China in the past two weeks as part of measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
One Chinese motorsports journalist, who arrived on Tuesday after mentioning his departure from Shanghai on social media, said the team had sent him an email alerting him to the precaution.
A McLaren spokesman said the measure was a group policy, based on recent World Health Organisation directives and British government updates, and applied to automotive, applied and racing businesses.
He emphasised that it related to anyone of any nationality who might have been exposed to the virus by visiting the country.
“The McLaren Group has issued a policy setting out restrictions and conditions we believe prudent to safeguard the health and well-being of our people, contractors and customers and protect our operations,” he said.