Mercedes suffers second positive COVID case - isolates staff

The Mercedes F1 team has revealed that a second member of its outfit has tested positive for COVID-19, forcing the Brackley squad to place staff in isolation.

Following the positive case of one of its team members that was diagnosed on Thursday, all Mercedes personnel present at the Nürburgring was re-tested, with results revealing on Friday morning a second positive case and one test proving inconclusive.

Mercedes has subsequently identified the team members who may have potentially contracted the coronavirus from their fellow worker and placed the four-member group in isolation.

Read also: Mercedes drivers trust team's handling of positive COVID case

The team has also flown out from the UK to Germany six additional members of personnel to replace the isolated individuals.

On Thursday, both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas were confident the positive case would not disrupt the team's operations for this weekend's Eifel Grand Prix.

"It's just going to take a different type of work, a lot of work, to make sure that we continue on without any disturbances," commented Hamilton, while Bottas said he fully trusted his team "is handling everything, following all the protocols and doing everything we can to be able to make sure it stops there in that one case."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.