The paradox of the F1 medical car or when an anti-vaccine is the one who takes the doctor

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Just 11 months ago,

could barely shake off the cameras in Bahrain, where everyone wanted a shot of the hero who, a week earlier, had come to the rescue of

. The driver of the medical car, who had immediately transferred Dr.

to the exact point of the terrifying fire at the Sakhir circuit, was living his moment of greatest glory since his arrival in Formula 1, back in 2009. However, in the In the coming weeks Van der Merwe will not even taste the desert heat in the last three races of the World Cup, since the authorities of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi prevent access to those who have not received the Covid-19 vaccine.

Last week, shortly before the Turkish GP, the International Federation (FIA) confirmed that Van der Merwe and Roberts had tested positive for the virus and would not even travel to Istanbul. According to the version of

, F1 race director, the origin of the infection could be traced to the coexistence of both during the Russian GP: "Obviously, in Sochi they spent a lot of time together in the car," explained the Australian.

In any case, everything seemed to point to one more case, among so many that have been dotting the Great Circus since the beginning of the pandemic.

However, it was Van der Merwe himself who has stirred consciences with a handful of comments through his social networks.

“Vaccines are proving to be safe and effective in the vast majority of cases.

But what if you are not in that majority?

I will avoid the risks, no matter how small, but not zero, until it is proven that they bring me advantages, if this ever happens, "said the South African.

"I will not travel there"

At that time, the FIA ​​already had in Istanbul Park the relief couple, formed by Dr.

and the driver

, both from Formula E. The holders, as indicated by the F1 protocol, complied with strict quarantine , with his sights set on the US GP, which kicks off on October 22 in Austin. Van Merwe, however, will have to stay ashore during the final tour of the Persian Gulf. “In Switzerland (I consider myself half Swiss) and other developed countries, previous infection counts as much as a vaccine. I trust that they know what they are doing and I also respect the most restrictive rules of other countries, so I will not travel there, "he admitted in relation to the last three appointments of the 2021 World Cup.

Van der Merwe's reluctance reopens the debate around vaccines in F1, which from the beginning of the pandemic showed its bubble against the virus. It should be noted that most of the traveling staff, both teams and qualified FIA workers, have the famous

. Masks, PCR tests and social distance continue to be common currency in the

, among other reasons because the teams have not forgotten some cases that caused serious alterations.

In July 2020,

missed two races with Racing Point, which was also hit, three months later, by the positive of

.

The most famous case affected

, who could not compete last December at the Sakhir GP.

In closer dates,

has also had to give up his seat in Alfa Romeo because of the Covid.

247 races in a row

Since they started working together in 2013, Van der Merwe and Roberts have become one of F1's institutions, only overshadowed by

, the

, who hasn't missed a single race since the GP of USA 2002. In fact, until last weekend, the medical team had started, consecutively, in 247 races, a figure only surpassed by Hamilton, who started 265 between March 2007 and November 2020.

In 2006, Van der Merwe rose to fame as a tester on a project for the BAR-Honda team, which was seeking new speed records for an F1.

During the tests in the Mojave desert it reached 413.2 km / h, although in the official FIA test, held in the Salar de Bonneville (Utah), it had to settle for 397.3 km / h.

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