World champion Lewis Hamilton has tested positive for coronavirus and will miss this weekend's Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain, Formula One's governing body FIA announced Tuesday.
"In accordance with COVID-19 protocols and public health authority guidelines in Bahrain he (Hamilton) is now isolating," said an FIA statement. The FIA said the incident would not affect the weekend event.
The 35-year-old Briton has "mild symptoms," according to Mercedes but "is otherwise fit and well."
Hamilton, who on Sunday won the Bahrain Grand Prix, the first of back-to-back races in the Gulf state, has already secured a record-equaling seventh world championship this season.
Read more: Romain Grosjean survives shocking crash as Hamilton wins in Bahrain
"He woke up on Monday morning with mild symptoms and was informed at the same time that a contact prior to arrival in Bahrain had subsequently tested positive," the statement from Mercedes said.
Mercedes added that Hamilton had been tested three times last week and returned a negative result each time as part of the sport's strict anti-virus protocols. The last test was on Sunday afternoon at the Bahrain circuit.
Read more: As F1 tries to go racing in a pandemic, what's changed?
The Mercedes team said it would announce a replacement driver later in the week. Reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne was already scheduled to travel to Bahrain after Formula E testing in Valencia.
Hamilton is the third F1 driver to test positive for COVID-19 this season, following Sergio Perez at Silverstone and Lance Stroll in Germany.
mo/dr (AFP, dpa, AP)
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Lewis Hamilton: The career of a Formula One legend
Seventh heaven
Lewis Hamilton gets the champagne treatment in Istanbul on a day that he equalled Michael Schumacher's record of seven world titles. He achieved it with a typically controlled masterclass in the wet conditions, securing his place among the greatest — if not the greatest — driver the sport has seen.
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Lewis Hamilton: The career of a Formula One legend
Most race wins of all time
Despite the 2020 season being abbreviated by COVID-19, Lewis Hamilton kept making history. In round 12 of 17, Hamilton overcame a tough start to win in Portimao, a track in Portugal making its Formula One debut. The win took Hamilton's career race wins to 92, one more than Michael Schumacher.
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Lewis Hamilton: The career of a Formula One legend
Title No. 4
Lewis Hamilton enjoys competing against the odds and going into the 2017 F1 season Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel looked the best bet to pose a credible title challenge. With the German plagued by a series of mechanical failures during the campaign, Hamilton helped himself to his fourth drivers' title in the third-last race of the season.
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Lewis Hamilton: The career of a Formula One legend
Provocateur
Lewis Hamilton is known for pushing both his car and his opponents to their limits. At this year's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Hamilton came out of Turn 15 particularly slowly, and his German rival, Sebastian Vettel rear-ended him. Vettel then pulled up beside him and rammed his car. Hamilton denied having been at fault.
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Lewis Hamilton: The career of a Formula One legend
Difficult teammate
Hamilton is not always easy to deal with even when he happens to be your teammate. The alpha male didn't take it well when then-Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg competed hard against him — and succeeded in winning the 2016 drivers' championship. The German driver's lack of deference was a constant source of friction between him and F1's biggest ego.
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Lewis Hamilton: The career of a Formula One legend
Fan of Senna
The Briton's favorite driver when he was growing up was the late Ayrton Senna. In Montreal in June, Hamilton captured the 68th pole position of his career, equaling the record of Senna, who died in a crash at Imola in 1994. Senna's family recognized the achievement by presenting Hamilton with one of the late Brazilian driver's helmets.
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Lewis Hamilton: The career of a Formula One legend
Father and son
Like the parents of many professional athletes, Hamilton's father Anthony (above, left) made many sacrifices to make Lewis' development as a driver possible, at times holding down as many as three jobs at once. Anthony was Lewis' manager when he first arrived on the circuit in 2007, but the two ended their business relationship in 2010. The two now have a close father-son relationship.
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Lewis Hamilton: The career of a Formula One legend
Another Hamilton at the wheel
His entire family are a priority for Hamilton — including his younger half-brother Nicolas, who despite suffering from cerebral palsy has also managed to become a professional racecar driver. Lewis almost burst with pride when Nicolas moved up the British Touring Car Championship in 2015.
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Lewis Hamilton: The career of a Formula One legend
Wunderkind
At the age of eight, Hamilton (second from right) enjoyed his first win as a driver racing go-karts. He first came into contact with Formula One in 1996, when Mika Hakkinen (right), who would go on to win two F1 titles, presented the trophies at an an event to honor up-and-coming drivers.
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Lewis Hamilton: The career of a Formula One legend
Mentor at McLaren
Ron Dennis (left) was one of the biggest influences on Hamilton early in his career. The longtime team principal of McLaren was impressed when the then-10-year-old Hamilton one day approached him for his autograph and said he intended to drive for McLaren in the future. Three years later, Dennis brought Hamilton into McLaren's youth program.
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Lewis Hamilton: The career of a Formula One legend
Ladies man
Hamilton is said to have dated a long list of famous women such as actress Kate Hudson, singer Rihanna or professional tennis player Maria Sharapova - as well as numerous models. He remains single and doesn't plan to start a family until his driving career is over. His longest romantic relationship was with the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, Nicole Scherzinger (right).
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Lewis Hamilton: The career of a Formula One legend
Fashion conscious
Hamilton is very mindful of his image and enjoys hanging out with the rich and famous. He is often seen in the front row of fashion shows. Above he is pictured with supermodel Naomi Campbell (left) at a fashion show in Milan. The Briton has said that he has plans to release his own line of clothing in the future.
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Lewis Hamilton: The career of a Formula One legend
Party animal
While some drivers unwind by spending quality time with their loved ones, Hamilton prefers to be where the action is, partying at the hottest clubs. He also enjoys sharing his escapades with his social media followers (five million on Instagram, four million on Faceboook).
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Lewis Hamilton: The career of a Formula One legend
Title number four
It was an anti-climatic way for Lewis Hamilton to win an historic fourth F1 world championship, but the smile on his face suggested he didn't care much. A collision with Sebastian Vettel at the start of the Mexican GP left both at the back of the field, but a ninth-placed finish was enough for Hamilton after Vettel finished fourth. Hamilton is the most successful British F1 driver ever.
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Lewis Hamilton: The career of a Formula One legend
Trusting soul
Just days after winning the title, Hamilton was in the headlines for something completely different. According to information released as part of the "Paradise Papers" the Briton avoided paying more than $4 million (€3.4 million) in taxes on a private jet by registering it in the Isle of Man. Hamilton said he trusted the advice of his lawyers, who had assured him that the arrangements were legal.
