A look at the reserve drivers each team would fall back on if a race driver was ruled out because of a positive coronavirus test.
Formula One’s return to racing in Austria this weekend will get underway with new protocols in place aimed at reducing the chance of a coronavirus outbreak in the paddock. But while the stringent measures should ensure positive cases do not spread, as long as Covid-19 is still in transmission there remains a risk to all members of F1 personnel, including drivers.
As a result, there has been extra focus on reserve drivers in the build-up to the 2020 season and who would be first in line should one of the team’s race drivers test positive. Although most teams have not drawn attention to their contingency plans, each one has at least one reserve driver they can call on should they need to. Below we look at the most likely candidates available to each team.
Mercedes Formula E driver Stoffel Vandoorne will be first in line to replace Lewis Hamilton or Valtteri Bottas should they be ruled out for the world champions. Vandoorne last raced in F1 for McLaren and was snapped up by HWA Racelab in Formula E when he lost his seat at the end of 2018 and then continued at the team as it evolved into the works Mercedes Formula E team. Former Sauber driver Esteban Gutierrez, who last raced in F1 in 2016, is the official reserve for Mercedes but would likely be second choice to Vandoorne.
Alfa Romeo driver Antonio Giovinazzi is Ferrari’s official reserve driver, but may not be pulled out of his own team if a situation arises mid-weekend.
