McLaren personnel explain Australia isolation struggles

McLaren personnel who were quarantined in Australia have opened up about the mental difficulties of living "in a box" for 14 days.

Alongside mental health charity partner Mind, McLaren has launched a series of YouTube videos with the first made available ahead of World Mental Health Day on Saturday October 10.

The first episode of the series focusses on the events of the Australian Grand Prix in March where, after a member of McLaren team personnel testing positive for Covid-19, 16 crew members were forced to self-isolate in Melbourne hotel rooms for two weeks.

"You were told initially it’s probably going to be 14 days," said performance coach Sergio Stelitano.

"Even that initially in my head was fine. We’re stuck in Australia for 14 days, but then when you start to think about it, which you’ve got plenty of time to do, and then realise it’s not just 14 days, but it’s 14 days stuck in one room.

“I think also, all the little things we started around that time like the WhatsApp group was generally just a little bit of a laugh and a giggle at first, even that after a period of time, I noticed, everybody started to go quiet.”

Number one mechanic Andrew Salt added: “After about a week or so, the mood started to change.

"I think we realised, myself especially, you realised you hadn’t spoken to or heard from someone for a few days and at that time felt a bit more obliged to check in with people, because we were in a very similar situation.”

Personnel explored various methods of coping, with car support team leader completing a 20km walk in his hotel room, Mark Cox, also a number one mechanic, having a PlayStation delivered to his room, while others requested musical instruments including a keyboard and a guitar.

After isolating, the crew members were permitted to leave the hotel for one hour of daily exercise, but Cox explained even this wasn't as simple as it sounded.

"When I was told ‘you can go out and do this now’ I didn’t want to," he explained. "Even myself at the time I found it really strange.

“I spent so long wanting to get out of the room and when I was finally allowed to get out, I think it might have been a case of they’re only letting me out for an hour, I’m going to go out and not want to come back into this room.”

With masks yet to become commonplace, Salt added: “It felt very strange and even at that time, leaving the hotel, we were the only people then wearing masks. You felt alienated from everything already but then you’re the only person wearing this mask and it just felt very surreal.”

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