The FIA has published an official document detailing its guidelines for motorsport amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stressing the need to “manage the risks associated with the resumption of motor sport in the most expeditious and responsible manner possible in the COVID-19 environment”, the guidelines are intended for all events sanctioned by the sport’s governing body, including Formula 1 which returns in Austria on July 5.
Across 74 pages, the document lays out the FIA’s approach both to standard virus transmission-mitigation measures (like the wearing of masks) to motorsport-specific instances, such as limiting personnel on the starting grid and appropriate distancing when drivers need to interact with race stewards.
Specifically to F1, the “group separation strategy” is likely to be pertinent, where teams – which are allowed 80 on-site personnel each – will be limited in their interactions with the wider paddock, which in turn will be restricted itself.
As for media coverage of races, the document advises all media except the host broadcaster advised to work remotely, although GP247 understands this measure will be slightly relaxed for F1, with ten journalists allowed to be on-site, albeit confined to the media centre with no in-person access to the drivers.