Renault's Daniel Ricciardo takes part in a practice session at the F1 Russian Grand Prix in Sochi, September 25, 2020. /CFP
Formula One confirmed on Friday that it had returned its highest number of positive COVID-19 test results, hours before welcoming a significant number of spectators to a race for the first time this year.
The F1 organization and the sport's ruling body the International Motoring Federation (FIA) said they had discovered seven cases of coronavirus following 3,256 tests between September 18 and 24.
The tests are carried out every five days on the teams' staff, drivers and all paddock and news media personnel.
This weekend's event Russian Grand Prix, the 10th race of the season, is the first major international sports event of the COVID-19 era to have a significant crowd of spectators after the Russian promoters claim to have sold 30,000 tickets for Sunday's race.
A referee wearing a mask at the F1 Russian Grand Prix in Sochi, September 25, 2020. /CFP
Seven of the 10 teams are based in Britain where the number of reported cases of infection has risen rapidly in recent weeks.
There had been 44,000 tests carried out during the opening nine races, run in a sequence of three triple-headers and under serious protocol for behavior in bubbles - with a total of nine positive results overall and not more than two in a single week.
The practice of operating strict bubbles and sub-bubbles and restricting movement under tight guidelines faces its biggest test of the season this weekend.
Russia confirmed 7,212 new cases of Covid-19 on Friday to take the overall total to 1,136,048, according to The Moscow Times.