McLaren staff out of quarantine, heading home soon

Members of the McLaren F1 team who were still being held in quarantine in Melbourne after close contact with a colleague who had tested positive for coronavirus have now been given the all-clear.

As well as the team member who tested positive for COVID-19 the day before the subsequently abandoned Australian Grand Prix weekend, a further 14 personnel had been required to stay in isolation in the city as a precaution when the rest of the team few home.

Seven McLaren staff were tested for coronavirus after displaying possible symptoms, but all results came back negative.

• McLaren team member quarantined in Oz now 'free of symptoms'

"They’re doing well," confirmed team principal Andreas Seidl in an interview with the official McLaren website.

"I stayed out with them for a couple of extra days, and some senior members of the team are still there with them," he confirmed.

"All the team members who had been tested as a precaution tested negative, which is fantastic news."

It was also good news about the original McLaren team member whose positive test was one of the triggers for the cancellation of the season opener: "The person that had tested positive is now feeling well."

Seidl said he was hoping that the remaining personnel would now make a quick return to the UK where they could be reunited with their anxious families.

"We look forward to welcoming everyone back to the UK this week," he said.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown said that the team had been right to unilaterally withdraw from the Australian Grand Prix, even before F1 had been forced to cancel the event outright 24 hours later.

"Even though we’re all racers and we were looking forward to hitting the track, it was an easy decision to make," Brown insisted.

"Protecting the wellbeing of our team is always the number one priority. We have a duty of care to our people, fans and wider F1 stakeholders.

"That’s why we informed Formula 1 and the FIA of our withdrawal shortly after hearing on the Thursday night that a member of the team had tested positive."

Since then, several more races have either been postponed or - in the case of the 'crown jewel' event in Monaco - cancelled outright for 2020.

"We support the decision to postpone the opening races of the season, and unfortunately also the need to wait until 2021 to take to the streets of Monte Carlo," said Brown.

"This unprecedented situation is constantly changing, but we will adapt to overcome the challenges it presents. Ultimately, nothing is more important than the health of the team, our fans and the wider F1 community.

"Our priority remains, and always will be, the health and wellbeing of everyone involved."

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