Nico Rosberg banned from F1 paddock after refusing COVID vaccine

Rosberg was in charge of Sky's coverage of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, however he did so from his house rather than from Imola.

Nico Rosberg (left) and Lewis Hamilton in a file photo. (Image: Twitter)
By Nilavro Ghosh | Jun 10, 2022 | 2 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

Nico Rosberg, the 2016 world champion, has been barred from the Formula One paddock after refusing to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. All people working in the F1 paddock, including drivers, teams, journalists, hospitality workers, and race attendees, must be fully vaccinated by 2022. This arose when F1 opted to run the 2020 and 2021 seasons during the global COVID-19 epidemic, however with more stringent rules. As F1 and the rest of the world gradually return to reality, more and more access has been granted to fans and the media.

According to Sport 1, Rosberg was able to join the paddock since he is a Sky Sports F1 analyst in the United Kingdom. Rosberg was in charge of Sky’s coverage of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, however he did so from his house rather than from Imola. He was in Monaco for the Sky broadcast, but he was not allowed to access the paddock. As a result, Sky broadcasted from outside the paddock during the Monaco Grand Prix.

Read More – Azerbaijan GP 2022: Where to watch, Schedule, Preview, Live Streaming details

What Rosberg said

“I recovered well from the corona disease and therefore have strong antibodies,” Rosberg told Sport 1. “I also have my antibodies tested regularly. Under these circumstances, my doctor advised me that vaccination would make absolutely no sense.” F1 has avoided any high-profile incidents involving its drivers or team members. In tennis, Novak Djokovic, a 20-time Grand Slam winner, was unable to enter Australia and compete in the Australian Open earlier this year due to a lack of vaccinations.

The 2022 Azerbaijan GP

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is a Formula One race that took place for the first time in 2017. It takes place on the Baku City Circuit, a street circuit in Baku, Azerbaijan’s city. The 2016 European Grand Prix, which was contested at the Baku City Circuit, was Azerbaijan’s maiden Formula One Grand Prix. The first Azerbaijan Grand Prix was held at the same site a year later, in 2017. The race, together with the Singapore, Monaco, Australian, and Canadian Grands Prix, was held on June 25th and was one of five races contested on a street circuit during the 2017 Formula One season. Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull was the first Azerbaijan Grand Prix winner.

What happened in 2021 in Baku?

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was the sixth round of the 2021 Formula One World Championship, and the fifth time the country had hosted a Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, both title contenders, had issues throughout the 51-lap race; Verstappen retired due to a high-speed tyre failure, while Hamilton made a critical error on the restart. Their misfortunes allowed Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Pérez to win his second Grand Prix.