Hamilton in race to be fit for Abu Dhabi GP
Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton is in a race to get fit and test negative for COVID-19 in order to participate in the Abu Dhabi GP.

Hamilton was announced as having tested positive last Tuesday, handing George Russell the chance to enjoy a sensational weekend with the Mercedes team in the Sakhir GP.
While Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll were both quickly able to recover and return after missing races due to positive tests, Hamilton’s case is made more complicated by the strict regulations applied in both Bahrain and in Abu Dhabi.
He remains under a strict quarantine in Bahrain, and is currently just seven days into it.
However, the biggest challenge is that Abu Dhabi has applied especially tight restrictions, where all regular arrivals in the country face a 14-day quarantine.
An exception has been made for F1, and the entire paddock is obliged to travel on Monday under controlled conditions, before entering a closed “biosphere” around the track and the neighbouring hotels.
Hamilton has the flexibility of travelling in a private jet, but he will have to gain special dispensation from the Abu Dhabi authorities if he is to travel later this week.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has made it clear that Hamilton's car will be waiting for him if he is able to travel.
“I think if Lewis recovers, and is getting better every day, and he’s been considered COVID free, negative, then he will be in the car,” he said after Sunday’s Sakhir GP.
FIA race director Michael Masi said Hamilton’s fate was in the hands of the two governments involved.
“Obviously the main part with all of this has always been complying with the respective governments, laws and regulations,” said Masi.
“So it's very much a decision for the Bahraini health authorities to determine if Lewis is fit and complies with their regulations, and then further for the Abu Dhabi authorities to determine their criteria.
“So it's effectively two government entities that need to determine entry criteria. If he meets the entry criteria of the respective governments and then further complies with the testing protocol from an FIA perspective, in being tested negative prior to entering the paddock, then there's no problems from our perspective."
Read Also:
In theory, Hamilton has to be in Abu Dhabi at the latest by Saturday afternoon in order to participate in the qualifying session.
“Within the current framework of the regulations, similar to what was used in Nurburgring, as long as the driver participates in a practice session, or qualifying, they're permitted to race,” said Masi.
“So technically here and now a driver only has to fulfil one of those criteria.
“So they couldn't just turn up and race, as their only thing, they would have to do one of the practice sessions, be it free practice or qualifying practice beforehand.”
The problem for both Mercedes and Williams is that both need to know as soon as possible if Hamilton is able to travel, and commit by Friday to Russell driving the car or not, to avoid the possibility of him having to swap back in the middle of the weekend.
Should it become apparent that Hamilton’s car will only be vacant on Friday, one option could be to allow reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne to drive it until the world champion arrives, rather than disrupt Russell’s preparations with Williams.
Related video

Previous article
Leclerc gets grid penalty for Abu Dhabi GP
Next article
The unseen mistake that nearly cost Perez victory in Russell's race

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Event | Abu Dhabi GP |
Drivers | Lewis Hamilton |
Teams | Mercedes |
Author | Adam Cooper |
Hamilton in race to be fit for Abu Dhabi GP
The defining traits that set F1’s best apart
What makes the very best drivers in Formula 1 stand out among what is already a highly elite bunch? Andrew Benson takes a closer look at those with the special blend of skill, judgment, feel and attitude that sets only a select few apart from the rest.
The updates Williams hopes will lead to a point-scoring return
After producing a car which demonstrated progress but lacked the points to prove it last year, Williams starts its new era of team ownership with the FW43B, its bid to continue the climb up the Formula 1 grid in 2021
How Ferrari plans to recover from its 2020 F1 nightmare
The 2020 Formula 1 season was Ferrari's worst for 40 years as it slumped to sixth in the standings. A repeat performance will not be acceptable for the proud Italian team, which has adopted a notably pragmatic approach to forging its path back to the top
Why Aston Martin’s arrival is more than just new green livery
In the most eagerly anticipated Formula 1 team launch of the season, the rebranded Aston Martin squad’s changes go much further than the striking paint job. But rather than a restart, the team hopes to build on top of solid foundations.
The car Aston Martin begins its new F1 journey with
The team formerly known as Racing Point gambled successfully on a Mercedes look-alike in 2020 as it mounted a strong challenge for third in the constructors' race and won the Sakhir GP. Now clothed in British racing green, Aston Martin's first Formula 1 challenger since 1960 provides the clearest indicator yet of what to expect from the new-for-2021 regulations
The tricky driver conundrums facing Mercedes in F1 2021
Ahead of the new Formula 1 season, reigning world champions Mercedes will take on challenges both old and new. This also can be said for its driver conundrum which could become key to sustaining its ongoing success...
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021...
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat