Formula 1 teams will shift their focus to manufacturing ventilators for hospitals amid a shortage due to the coronavirus.
F1 teams are currently in a period of hiatus following the cancellation and postponement of the opening seven races, meaning the season won’t kick-off until June at the earliest.
Whilst the FIA has mandated a three-week shutdown of factories in March/April, many teams run applied-technology businesses on the side developing equipment and processes for other sectors, which can remain open during the mandated shutdown.
In a bid to increase the supply of ventilators, which are critical to ensuring those who have tested positive with Covid-19 coronavirus and have underlying health issues, which can lead to breathing issues and severe pneumonia, can overcome the infection.
Several teams will either help to manufacture components, or will assist current manufacturers in order to increase supplies throughout Europe by utilising their engineering skills and state-of-the-art facilities.
“The F1 community is engaged in discussions with all the relevant stakeholders regarding this issue and we will provide further details in due course,” a spokesperson told the BBC.
Meanwhile the Agnelli Family, which controls Ferrari and FIAT, have donated €10 million (£9.3m) to the Italian government to help fight the virus, as well as buying an additional 150 ventilators for local hospitals.
FIAT has also confirmed it is looking at switching its production lines to manufacturing ventilators.
