Dutch GP: Proof of vaccination mandatory for all F1 personnel

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The Dutch government has told Formula One Management that it will require proof of full Covid-19 vaccination for all F1 personnel and team members attending next September's Dutch GP at Zandvoort.

As vaccinations programs continue to roll out across Europe, some countries are further down the path than others in terms of the various age groups that are being immunized.

In the UK, close to 40% of the population is fully vaccinated while almost 60% has received at least one dose, with the National Health Service program now reaching 30-year-olds.

However, there is a risk that younger members of the F1 community based in the UK, or elsewhere in Europe, may not receive their vaccinations by September 1 and therefore may not comply with the Dutch government's precondition for attending the Dutch GP.

Earlier this year, Italy's slow vaccination roll-out encouraged members of Ferrari, AlphaTauri and Pirelli to take up the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination offer put forth by the government of Bahrain ahead of F1's race at Sakhir in March.

But few were those team members based in the UK that accepted Bahrain's offer, while Formula 1 itself was reticent to see its employees benefit from the offer as it would have implied a preferential status that was seen as potential damaging from a public relations perspective.

Saudia Arabia which will host its inaugural Grand Prix at the end of November will also require proof of vaccination for F1 personnel, but the extra amount of time before the event held in Jeddah should allow those traveling to the Kingdom to receive their full vaccination.

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