Red Bull driver Sergio Perez believes that there is a case to be made for drivers still being able to compete even if they have tested positive for COVID-19.
Perez was the first of 10 drivers to have tested positive for coronavirus since the turn of the pandemic in 2020, and he was thus forced to sit out both races at Silverstone that year.
His then Racing Point team-mate Lance Stroll would later contract the virus in the same year, before Sir Lewis Hamilton fell ill with it, missing the Sakhir Grand Prix as a result.
Kimi Raikkonen and Nikita Mazepin both had to miss races last season too, before Daniel Ricciardo missed all of the second pre-season test in Bahrain.
And, the first race at the same venue did not feature Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel owing to a positive test.
Lando Norris, Pierre Gasly and Charles Leclerc all contracted the virus last year, but due to their isolation taking place in the off-season, they did not miss any action.
With seven drivers missing track time after falling ill, Perez has suggested that drivers should be allowed to race if their symptoms are “mild.”
“Going forward it’s something that we should discuss, whether we allow the drivers to race with COVID, if the symptoms are mild,” he said.
“These days if you’re feeling bad, obviously the drivers can be the judge, but I think it makes sense to have a discussion.”
Continuing, the Mexican emphasised it is simply luck of the draw who ends up contracting the virus.
“There’s so much we’ve learned with COVID now and there is only so much you can do,” he explained.
“If you want to look after yourself [completely], you have to stay at home for 24 hours and cook for yourself and do everything on your own.
“But there is only so much you can do, so I think it’s just luck dependent. It is difficult to not do anything. I’m just very sorry for Seb and for Daniel, but it can happen to anyone.”
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Vettel’s replacement in Bahrain, Nico Hulkenberg, ended the race 17th, while Perez retired due to a mechanical failure along with team-mate Max Verstappen.