2016 F1 Champion Nico Rosberg did not take the mandatory Covid 19 vaccines, which led to him being banned from the paddock.
Rosberg was not present in the F1 paddock for the Monaco GP two weeks ago. This was surprising to many fans because the former Mercedes driver resides in the principality.
Latest reports however, have revealed the reason behind Rosberg’s absence. He has refused to take the Covid 19 vaccines, and that is against the protocol for people entering the paddock. He featured in Sky Germany’s coverage of the race, but it was from his home in Monaco and not on site.
Rosberg won the World Title in 2016, which gave him a paddock pass for life. Regardless, the Covid 19 vaccine protocols are so strict that they don’t spare even former World Champions of the sport. Rosberg explained his decision to not get vaccinated to Sports1.
“I recovered well from the corona disease and therefore have strong antibodies,” he said. “Under these circumstances, my doctor advised me that vaccination would make absolutely no sense. I also have my antibodies tested regularly.”
F1 Twitter reacts to news of Nico Rosberg being banned from the paddock
Fans on Twitter bashed the German former driver for refusing to comply with the Covid protocols. He has been under fire heavily over the last few years, particularly for his criticism of former teammate Lewis Hamilton.
For the first time in over two seasons, an F1 season is running smoothly and normally after Covid restrictions were lifted. Most countries however, do not allow unvaccinated personnel to attend these events.
The fact that a former World Champion like Rosberg is not someone who’s encouraging people to protect themselves by taking the vaccine, does not sit right with F1 fans.
