Team motorhomes will be allowed to return from this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, as paddock restrictions are eased slightly.
The vast team motorhomes have been a feature of the paddock for many years and have grown in size and complexity, often requiring a dedicated travelling crew to construct them at each European round.
However under COVID-19 protocols they were banned in an effort to reduce the number of staff at each grand prix, with teams operating out of temporary units which include offices, catering areas and driver accommodation.
A slight easing of the COVID-19 protocols will allow for the return of motorhomes for this weekend’s Belgian GP and subsequent European rounds in Italy, Germany and Portugal.
The reason for their return is the higher cost of renting a temporary unit and outside catering for the team compared to their existing motorhomes and in-house catering.
There will still be strict safety measures in place, including COVID-19 ‘bubbles’, whereby non-team members will not be permitted access to motorhomes, including media, which will still be confined to the media centre.