Red Bull racing official pitched camp to expose drivers to coronavirus

An official from the Formula One team Red Bull pitched a training camp with the goal of exposing drivers to the coronavirus so they could build immunity and later races this year could go on as scheduled.

Motorsport adviser Helmut Marko said his idea for drivers to be infected to build immunity and recover before scheduled races was denied by the team, Austrian public broadcaster ORF reported Sunday, according to The Associated Press. 

“We have four Formula One drivers, we have eight or 10 juniors and the idea was to hold a camp where we could bridge this rather dead time mentally and physically,” Marko told ORF. 

It is unclear if he was referring to Red Bull’s two drivers and two reserves, or two drivers from the sister team Alpha Tauri. 

“And then it would be ideal, because these are all young, strong men in really good health, if the infection comes then,” he continued. “Then they would be equipped, if it starts up again, for a really hard world championship.”

He told the broadcaster that his proposal “was not accepted positively” within Red Bull and was put aside.

Asked about his own risk to the virus, the 76-year-old acknowledged he is in the at-risk age range, but said, “I’m not frightened. I respect it.”

The coronavirus pandemic has put the world of sports in flux as many leagues have delayed or canceled competitions to avoid gathering crowds.

Formula One suspended the first eight races of its season, but the Canadian Grand Prix scheduled in June has not been postponed so far. It is the circuit’s next scheduled race.