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F1 chief's 'completely insane' plan to infect drivers

Max Verstappen and Helmut Marko are pictured during the 2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen has a discussion with team consultant Helmut Marko during the 2019 F1 season. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

Red Bull Racing boss Helmut Marko says he suggested deliberately infecting the team’s stable of drivers with the coronavirus (COVID-19) in a bid to ensure they would be ready to resume racing once the pandemic had passed.

The latest comments come after Marko was earlier criticised for suggesting driver Max Verstappen should intentionally try to catch the virus.

The deadly disease has claimed the lives of nearly 37,000 people worldwide as of March 31, but this was apparently not enough of a disincentive for Marko.

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The 76-year-old Austrian says his plan was ‘not very well recieved’ but fellow higher-ups at Red Bull Racing.

His plan had been to bring the team’s F1 and junior drivers to a camp, which Marko said would be ‘the ideal time for the infection to come’.

“We have four Formula 1 drivers and eight or 10 juniors, and the idea was that we would organise a camp to mentally and physically bridge the dead time,” he said during an interview with Austrian broadcaster ORF.

“They are all strong young men in good health.

“That way they would be prepared whenever the action starts.”

Predictably, Marko’s plan was given short shrift by management.

“Let's put it this way: it has not been well received," Marko said.

Many fans and motorsport industry figures were left baffled by the bizarre and incredibly risky plan to put the drivers’ lives at risk.

Former F1 driver Felipe Massa described Marko’s comments as ‘completely insane’ on Twitter, while many others were also disappointed in the senior figure from Red Bull.

Red Bull Racing, Mercedes assisting with ventilator production

With many hospitals around the world fearing they may become inundated with patients infected with the coronavirus, F1 teams have stepped up to help provide extra medical equipment.

“Production has already started here, we are producing ventilators,” Marko said.

“This is the big plus of Formula 1, that you can react to the greatest technological challenges in the shortest possible time and also have the necessary speed in production.”

The ventilators - which are in short supply - help patients with breathing difficulties, which is a common effect of someone with coronavirus symptoms.

British health authorities have also engaged the expertise of the aerospace and automotive sectors to help expedite the production of the ventilators.

It's estimated the UK needs 20,000 more ventilators to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic, with teams such as McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull and Williams possessing applied-technologies departments and manufacturing capabilities that could prove invaluable.