Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton, who was diagnosed with coronavirus this week, is battling the disease and is in doubt for next week’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, team boss Mercedes said on Friday. , Toto Wolff. The seven-time champion won the Bahrain Grand Prix last weekend and was ruled out for Sunday’s Sakhir Grand Prix after waking up on Monday with mild symptoms. The 35-year-old is now in isolation for 10 days according to established protocols.
“It’s not great,” Wolff said after Hamilton’s replacement George Russell posted an excellent lap at the top of time in opening practice.
“Covid-19 is something that you should not take lightly and it is in good hands. That is the most important thing, but it is these first days that are not so pleasant.”
Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Wolff said Hamilton was still suffering from “mild symptoms” and a great deal of frustration from missing a race weekend for the first time in his F1 career since his debut in Australia in 2007.
“As you can imagine, a racing driver out of his car … combine it with Covid, he would rather sit there (nodding toward the Mercedes garage).”
When Hamilton completes his 10 days of isolation, he will need to undergo another Covid-19 test next Wednesday and Thursday to ensure he is given the go-ahead before the Abu Dhabi event that begins Friday.
If he doesn’t pull it off, Russell appears to be in a perfect position to take advantage after beating Mercedes number two driver Valtteri Bottas by three tenths of a second early Friday.
“He (Russell) did a really solid job of what we expect of him in one lap.
“It’s difficult to set a benchmark because Valtteri broke his car early on and it was difficult for him to stop it properly.
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“He even stopped running so we didn’t see Valtteri in the right car, but this is not to diminish George’s performance for the first time in the car. It was good.”
Hamilton is the third driver this year to miss a race due to Covid-19, after Racing Point duo Sergio Pérez and Lance Stroll.
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