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Yamaha will have to do without six engineers, including YZR-M1 Project Leader Takahiro Sumi, who will not be able to participate in this weekend’s French Grand Prix. One of them tested positive for Covid and they were all placed in isolation.
Yamaha explained in detail:
- Due to travel restrictions, several of Yamaha’s MotoGP staff members often stay in Andorra in between rounds. On this occasion, after taking the usual PCR test (Polymerase Chain Reaction) on Monday, before the scheduled departure from Andorra, a member of Yamaha’s technical staff received a positive Covid-19 test result on Tuesday. The other five members of the engineering team received negative results.
- 24 hours later, another test was performed to verify the results of the first tests. The test results were identical, confirming the first positive Covid-19 test result for one member and negative results for the other five members.
- Consequently, all six engineers in this travel group are now self-isolating in Andorra and will not participate in the upcoming race weekend in Le Mans, France.
- Yamaha Motor Racing Srl is currently arranging for alternative staff to arrive in Le Mans during the next few days to support the riders in the French GP.
- YZR-M1 Project Leader Takahiro Sumi and the five GP support engineers will keep in touch with the team staff at the Le Mans circuit using the new communication tools that the team has used since this Covid-19-affected 2020 MotoGP racing season started again. This new communication system allows them to stay remotely connected with the team crew and with the riders in the pit box before, during, and after each session on the track. Thanks to this technical solution, the self-isolated engineers will still be able to share their skills and offer their best support to the staff present at Le Mans.
- The engineer who tested positive is currently showing no symptoms, but will continue to be monitored by his colleagues and the Andorran medical staff.
- The situation will be reviewed next week, mid-week, in view of the group’s participation in the next MotoGP events in Aragon, Spain.
