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Formula One declares mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for paddock staff

Formula One will make it mandatory for all personnel working in its paddock to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, without exemption, starting this season, a spokesperson for the sport's commercial arm said on Monday.

The mandate, which was first reported by the Times newspaper and the BBC, will apply to anyone entering the paddock -- an exclusive area in which teams and drivers set up shop for a race weekend.

"F1 will require all travelling personnel to be fully vaxxed and will not request exemptions," the spokesperson said.

This will include all competitors, hospitality staff, members of the media, the governing FIA, Liberty Media-owned commercial rights holders FOM and even celebrity guests.