10,000 corona tests ready for Austria GP

Jun.24 (GMM) More than 10,000 coronavirus tests are being stockpiled at the scene of next weekend’s return to Formula 1 action in Austria.

They are being supplied by Eurofins Genomics, a DNA sequencing company that has been charged with keeping the global pandemic out of the Red Bull Ring paddock.

“Everyone who works at the track – a total of 3000 people in the red zone – may only enter their work area with a negative COVID-19 notice that is no older than four days,” said Eurofins Genomics’ Siegfried Schnabl.

APA news agency said there will be no fewer than 20 testing stations at the circuit, which will be closed to spectators for the back-to-back race weekends.

“We are represented by a total of about 50 people who will routinely test the whole Formula 1 and FIA team,” Schnabl said. “Every five days, everyone has to be tested.”

Results of the tests will be known within 16-24 hours, and only those who work closely with whoever is positive will be affected.

“The people to be tested come in and are recorded with a barcode that is imported into the database,” Schnabl continued. “We only have the barcode and do not know who it represents.”