With Australia in lockdown and motorsport effectively grinding to a halt, there are a number of members of the motorsport community who are still working round the clock for the greater good of the community.
From doctors, paramedics and nurses working on the frontline in hospitals to those in pharmacies and medical research centres – every person in the health and medical field is working overtime to ensure Australia can deal with the fallout from the Coronavirus pandemic.
With the motorsport community made up of people with a wide range of skills and backgrounds, it’s no surprise that many familiar faces are part of that group of medical professionals fighting the good fight.
Of course it’s not just the frontline workers who are doing their bit to get our country through a once in a generation event.
There are many more individuals within the Australian motorsport community who find themselves in the thick of it and with their own story to tell.
From today, motorsport.org.au will regularly profile a number of our own Motorsport Australia members who are fighting the pandemic battle. Dr Brent May, the Motorsport Australia Chief Medical Officer for the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix, believed their efforts needed to be praised.
“It is amazing to see the determination of motorsport medical personnel in their professional work,” May said.
“The effort in preparation and training and putting themselves at risk to face this disease head-on. Many of them are re-training to change their skills to put themselves into the path of this pandemic and help improve the outcomes for Australians.
“These are the same people that volunteer their time to keep motorsport safe on most weekends. They are at their usual jobs working hard and for many hours in the hopes of keeping us all well.
“We must also recognise the efforts of the general community for their efforts to reduce social contact and ‘flatten the curve’. That effort has given all health care workers and hospitals time to prepare, train and resource for the influx of cases that will continue to rise.”
May also joined the worldwide chorus, highlighting the importance of staying at home wherever possible.
“Everything we can do to reduce social interaction, and therefore virus transmission, helps buy time for the health care system so people really must stay at home,” May added.
“Every day without motorsport and crowds, and every tough day we go through as a community, allows the health care system to prepare and avoid the massive peak in cases that we have seen in so many places around the world.
“We know this is tough but this is an enduro and not a sprint. Don't put it into the wall now, don't bend it, don't break it.”
Motorsport Australia will continue to provide regular updates to its members during this period, with the latest information made available here on our website.