Formula One star drivers and team members agree to get COVID-19 vaccine while in Bahrain

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Formula 1-star drivers Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz Jr, along with other members of the F1 family, have expressed their appreciation to the government of Bahrain for its offer to get vaccinated in the Kingdom.

Leading motor racing website motorsport.com reported that Perez and Sainz revealed that they have taken Bahrain up on its offer.

This is the same for all members of AlphaTauri, said team principal Franz Tost.

It was announced last month that Bahraini authorities are offering F1 personnel and team members voluntary COVID-19 vaccinations while they are in the Kingdom for pre-season testing, which concluded yesterday, and the upcoming Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix later this month.

Perez was quoted as saying: “Yeah, we got offered it, and I took the decision to take it.

For me, back in Mexico, I don’t know when I will be able to get it. So I think [it] was very nice from Bahrain to offer that to us.

 I took it myself.”

 Sainz commented: “Same as Checo, I did take it.

I think it was a great opportunity and obviously, I’m thankful to the Bahrain government for offering it to so many people that travel around the world and, yeah, I’m happy with it.”

AlphaTauri’s Tost said that his team plans to remain in Bahrain a couple of days after the upcoming race weekend to get the second dose of their COVD-19 vaccine.

“All the team members from Scuderia AlphaTauri have been vaccinated on Tuesday,” Tost said, according to motorsport.com. “We will stay one or two days longer after the race for the second vaccination because health as you know is the most important factor.

“Me as a team principal, I’m responsible for the health of the people, and therefore we did this vaccination, and I say many, many thanks to Bahrain that they offered us this possibility.

“In Europe, I don’t know how long we wait to be vaccinated, especially in Austria and Italy and so on.

 Therefore, we are more than happy.”

Other team bosses noted that they had left the choice of getting vaccinated to each of their team members.

“We decided to leave it up to the individuals,” said Aston Martin team principal Otmar Szafnauer.

“But as Franz said, it was a very kind offer by the Bahrainis.”