McLaren CEO Zak Brown Takes Savage Dig at Racing Point Over Lance Stroll’s COVID Incident

Lance Stroll recently confirmed on his social media accounts that he had tested positive for Coronavirus last weekend at Nurburgring. However, the revelation came well into the week after the race.

It did represent an element of risk to an extent to everyone else at the paddock. Weighing up this very aspect, the FIA handed Racing Point an official warning for failing to comply with the COVID-19 protocols.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown, however, took this as an opportunity to take some shots towards the Silverstone-based team. And safe to say, he did not mince his words.

McLaren in disbelief after Racing Point’s COVID testing comments

Recently, Racing Point’s Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer spoke about the team’s stringency regarding their COVID testing process. Despite the same, it cannot be ignored that Lance Stroll tested positive for the virus.

Brown was apparently quoted as saying, “I don’t know who his doctor was, Dr Mallya? Dr Seuss…or even Dr Dre… I just heard that Racing Point test more than any other company on the planet…I don’t know how you substantiate that…”

The FIA had laid down clear ground rules that stated that teams were meant to report any positive case from their end as soon as they are aware of the same.

Keeping the Lance Stroll situation in mind, Formula 1 was forced to revise their testing procedures in order to make it safer for all parties involved.

Racing Point initially opened up about their testing frequency

Otmar Szafnauer had previously defended the team’s COVID protocol procedures rather aggressively. He made it a point to state that they were taking the necessary measures very seriously, if not more than any other F1 team.

“I do want to point out first to everybody that we test more than any other business on the planet. Not just Formula 1 teams: any other business on the planet.I test every employee twice a week at the factory. We have done more than 15,000 tests. We’ve had six positives.”

Lance Stroll’s case has once again served as a reminder that the slightest of compromise could potentially impact others. In that regard, teams have to be stricter and more mindful of their personnel and ensure that they report the necessary test results on time.