Lewis Hamilton tests positive for coronavirus

Formula One: United States Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton of Stevenage, England, has tested positive for coronavirus according to ESPN on Tuesday. The positive test comes the week before the Sakhir Grand Prix, which is set to take place on Sunday.

There have been 87, 270 cases of coronavirus in Bahrain, and 341 deaths. A total of 85, 463 people have recovered, and there are 1466 active cases. Interestingly, Bahrain has now passed China in total cases. China, where coronavirus originated, has 86, 551 cases.

The Sakhir Grand Prix is the second of two consecutive Formula One races in Bahrain. On November 29, Hamilton won his 11th Formula One race of the year. He has already won the 2020 Formula One World Championship. After the Sakhir Grand Prix, there is one more race left to conclude the season. That will be the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in the United Arab Emirates on December 13.

Hamilton meanwhile will be replaced on Sunday in the Sakhir Grand Prix by 22-year-old British driver George Russell of Norfolk, England. Russell will make his debut for Mercedes after completing 36 races for Williams over the last two years (21 races in 2019 and 15 races in 2020). Russell has not yet had a Formula One race where he has got into the points. Meanwhile, 25-year-old Jack Aitken of London, England, will make his Formula One debut for Williams racing on Sunday.

In the Bahrain Grand Prix this past weekend, the biggest story came on the first lap. The race was suspended 80 minutes after Romain Grosjean’s car caught fire in a spectacular crash. Grosjean suffered second-degree burns.

In other Formula One news, 21-year-old Mick Schumacher, has signed a Formula One contract in 2021 with Haas. Mick Schumacher is the son of Formula One legend Michael Schumacher, who holds the Formula One record for the most World Championships all-time with seven (tied with Hamilton). Mick Schumacher is replacing Grosjean next season on Team Haas.

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