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Sergio Perez will compete in the Spanish Grand Prix weekend after testing negative for COVID-19, ending Nico Hulkenberg’s brief spell with the Racing Point Formula 1 team.
Perez has missed the last two races after testing positive for COVID-19 ahead of the British GP.
He was given an unlikely opportunity to return one week later when Public Health England said he had to quarantine for just seven days instead of 10, as the increased limit kicked in the day after his first test.
However, Perez tested positive for the virus again and Hulkenberg deputised once more, qualifying third and finishing seventh after being ruled out of the British GP himself by an engine issue before the start.
Perez was only suffering from mild symptoms and has kept training to ensure he was ready to get back in the car at short notice.
One week after his second positive COVID-19 test, Perez has finally been cleared of the virus and allowed to re-enter the F1 paddock.
His absence has highlighted the importance for teams to have readily available reserve drivers during this time.
Racing Point called on Hulkenberg because, though it has access to Mercedes’ reserves, Stoffel Vandoorne was unavailable due to Formula E commitments and the team did not realise Esteban Gutierrez is ineligible for a superlicence.
McLaren, which also shares Mercedes’ reserves, turned to ex-Force India driver and Sky Sports F1 pundit Paul di Resta as its back-up driver for the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix weekend.
But it is back to relying on Vandoorne in Spain as the FE season will be over.
