F1 | Red Bull Marko: Good Idea to Give (Red Bull) Drivers Coronavirus

[Mr Latte]

"Marco, Box Box Box...... your Helmut is faulty" ​

 

[InsaneOzzie]

The herd immunity approach poses to many risk's, otherwise most western countries would of allowed the virus to flourish. The reality that it is fatal in 30% of cases of humans with underlying health conditions, and a greater number if you're 70+ years old. These 2 facts alone make "Herd Immunity" a very, very bad idea!

 

[Racebug]

Yeah it really is relevant his "opinion" ( we are told it was his idea, i've never seen or heard him say it, and we are just supposed to take it from the articles) about something that will never be done.
But i guess you guys still need the clicks...

 

[Marlonracer]

Good Luck!

 

[Jenn Cutter]

Who wants to explain to me how this gets front page news but SRO running a charity E-Sport sim racing round with three races, proper SRO and guest commentary and a large mix of real Blancpain and sim drivers and there is not so much of a mention of it.

Hi @Serge.M ,

There's been so much going on in the world the last couple of weeks and we're trying to find the best way to cover the changing landscape. To level with everyone, this pandemic crashed in when we were designing a number of new features for RD and we're focusing our limited resources towards launching these changes in the best shape possible. With just a bit more time you'll start noticing these improvements get implemented and I can't wait for everyone's feedback when they do.

To answer your very specific question: you'll see more information on the front page in the very near future. Looking forward to more great racing over the coming weeks!

Jenn Cutter
Creative Director, RaceDepartment

And, to be slightly more on-topic in the thread: My eyes rolled so hard reading this news I may have pulled something. I'm also in a lower risk group than many of my neighbours and friends... I've done grocery runs for them but I sure as heck know I'm not invincible. Granted, I also don't have the endless funds and helicopters to get me to top notch private medical care like these teams do. Not gonna lie, I'd rather have resources like Red Bull's to get me through a pandemic than just my crappy little car and some groceries

 

[General_RIMT]

Wow, very cool Marko, Thank you!

 

[Ciccina2016]

This let you think how much cinic management at that level can be.
I am not surprised at all regarding a comment like that to be honest

 

[John-Eric Saxén]

To be realistic though, let's say a vaccine is at least 18 months away, as most experts have predicted. Meanwhile, F1 drivers are supposed to travel all over the world to race unless they decide to skip seasons 2020 and 2021. With this in mind, what is the likelihood of NOT getting infected unless you quarentine yourself for the next 18 months?

Obviously this plan is just Marko talk and they wouldn't be able to take the risk of infecting someone on purpose bearing in mind the possible repercussions, but of the two scenarios, it would probably be better for an athlete to get infected now rather than in the middle of a tough season. It's well known that heavy straining and exercise actually weakens the immune system temporarily. I wouldn't want to be doing a two hour race while potentially having been infected with COVID-19 from the hotel the previous night.

 

[LeSunTzu]

To be realistic though, let's say a vaccine is at least 18 months away, as most experts have predicted. Meanwhile, F1 drivers are supposed to travel all over the world to race unless they decide to skip seasons 2020 and 2021. With this in mind, what is the likelihood of NOT getting infected unless you quarentine yourself for the next 18 months?

Obviously this plan is just Marko talk and they wouldn't be able to take the risk of infecting someone on purpose bearing in mind the possible repercussions, but of the two scenarios, it would probably be better for an athlete to get infected now rather than in the middle of a tough season. It's well known that heavy straining and exercise actually weakens the immune system temporarily. I wouldn't want to be doing a two hour race while potentially having been infected with COVID-19 from the hotel the previous night.

The worst time to get ill is now. Currently there is no cure and hospitals are flooded. Many people die now who could have survived if proper medical assistance was available. Hopefully things will be better in several months.

 

[RaceFuchs]

His comments make no sense at all. It doesen't matter if Red Bull drivers get infected or not. There won't be any F1 races as long as there is a risk that anyone involved could get sick, including audience, mechanics, media people, catering and so on. So even if his team would infect drivers and mechanics on purpose, which is wrong on so many levels, there would still be no F1 races in the near future.

 

[Mr Latte]

I think some of the headlines and stories a few of the media and F1 outlets run with are poor. Some may desire to be like "Fake News" in just seeking sensationalism and clicks.

 

[Jan Larsen]

This is what happens when people are bored. Terrible, I'll informed idea, but I see the logic behind it. Unfortunately it isnt as straight forward to 'just ride it out' as it sounds. Imagine if Verstappen (who's basically the son he never had) contracted it and got hit hard, requiring respirator (or worse), his half-joke smile would disappear immidiately.

 

[Terry Rock]

Lets face it...Marko' behavior wouldn't be tolerated in most work circles.
He always seem to come across as a jerk.

 

[KOGamer]

Nevermind.

 

[wombat999]

The generic idea of herd immunity comes from the example of children contracting Chicken Pox early, recovering early, and becoming immune for life.
The thinking behind that simply doesn't work with COVD-19 as it's more or less an 'unknown'.
As for 'Dr.Marko', he was only a Dentist and that was decades ago, so why is he even getting air time.
Regarding the extremely fit and healthy young athletes: they can be among the very vulnerable to a raft of illness's, simply as a result of over training for want of a better term.
While that seems to be at odds with their health, their systems are finely balanced and can easily be affected by an auto immune disease such as CFS (originally referred to as 'Yuppie Flu') or Lupus, both known to affect high achievers.

 

[Kalsonic12]

He's probably just thinking of a herd immunity. Get them infected young so they'll be immune or very resistant to it later. Too bad that Covid-19 isn't a pushover.

 

[RufGTI]

I love how @Paul Jeffrey and other Britains call Helmut Marko crazy or a sociopath when your government followed the exact same idea of herd immunity until recently.

 

[Eckhart von Glan]

I love how @Paul Jeffrey and other Britains call Helmut Marko crazy or a sociopath when your government followed the exact same idea of herd immunity until recently.

but then again, they may have held other views than their government all along

 

[PoopMan]

The herd immunity approach poses to many risk's, otherwise most western countries would of allowed the virus to flourish. The reality that it is fatal in 30% of cases of humans with underlying health conditions, and a greater number if you're 70+ years old. These 2 facts alone make "Herd Immunity" a very, very bad idea!

Herd immunity is inevitable with this virus and is a predictable phenomenon. The spread cannot be tracked in many cases, and people with mild symptoms aren't tested. Action at reducing spread to vulnerable people would reduce mortality rates, but so long as the masses in any infected area remain unimmune, the virus can spread exponentially.
The mortality rates you said are sensational, less than 30% of people with underlying conditions are going into the ICU.

 

[Antony Snook]

Red Bull gives you wings