Formula 1 joins the fight against the coronavirus: the special request to the teams to use their technology in favor of those affected

The epidemiological crisis that the world is going through with the coronavirus affected more than 200 thousand people who caught the COVID-19. For this scourge, sport paralyzed globally: The big soccer leagues in Europe, South America, as well as the top tournaments of the different disciplines suffered an interruption, such is the case of the NBA.

In this extreme care environment, Formula 1, which should have started its 2020 season last weekend with the Australian Grand Prix – at the Melbourne circuit – has already announced the cancellation of the following six races on its calendar: to the opening in Oceania, the GP of Bahrain, the one of Vietnam, China, the Netherlands, Spain were added and, in the last hours, to a classic that did not suffer interruptions since 1954, such as the test that is run in Monaco.

Before this panorama, the leading teams in the category are at their headquarters, waiting for what will be the evolution of the coronavirus pandemic and if you can finally compete this year. For this reason, and given the very serious situation that Europe is going through, today the epicenter of the disease, the prime minister of the United Kingdom made a special request to the four teams that have an operational base on British soil.

Boris Johnson, in charge of the government, asked Mercedes, Red Bull, McLaren and Williams for help to contribute their technology and add necessary implements to the care of people who are going through the coronavirus.

According to the newspaper The Sun, from England, An internal F1 source confirmed the request made by the leader of the English government and its member nations He said, "We are trying to reverse engineer a respirator that could be produced at a fraction of the cost of a normal machine. We are working with teams that have a lot of technical expertise, and we are in advanced discussions on how they can be added to the supply chain. ”

With these sayings, it follows that the teams would be targeting the manufacture of pulmonary respirators, in addition to other high-tech elements that can serve as support for healthcare services, highly required by these hours throughout the European continent. The situation is under the orbit and control of the F1 organization, which would be supervising the requested work.

No competitions in sight until after the weekend of May 21 to 24, the date that the Grand Prix was to be held in the Principality of Monaco, there is another team that has already joined to help those affected by the crisis caused by the coronavirus. The family Agnelli, which controls the Formula 1 Ferrari team, and which also owns Juventus -the leading team in Italian football-, has already donated nine million euros, 150 respirators to be used by the medical system, and a fleet of cars to distribute food and medicine in Italy.