Hulkenberg to act as Racing Point reserve in Portugal, as team confirm owner Lawrence Stroll has also had Covid-19

Racing Point owner Lawrence Stroll returned a positive Covid 19 test on the same day as his son Lance, Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer has confirmed. The team have also revealed that Nico Hulkenberg is on hand in Portugal this weekend in a reserve capacity.

Lance Stroll said on Wednesday that he had tested positive for the virus on the Sunday morning of the Eifel Grand Prix, having returned home early from the Nurburgring - where he was replaced by Hulkenberg from Saturday onwards.

It has now emerged Stroll's father, who had not attended the Russian or Eifel Grands Prix, did a test at the same time as his son in Switzerland – and both returned positives.

Szafnauer said the Strolls had not previously been together, with Lance in Germany and Lawrence spending time with Aston Martin, where he is a major shareholder, at their facility in the UK.

READ MORE: Racing Point confirm Stroll will travel to Portugal, following Covid-19 isolation period

“Lawrence has missed more than just a couple of races, and that’s because he’s got some big responsibilities at Aston Martin,” Szafnauer added when talking to media via Zoom on Thursday morning.

“This year, he hasn’t been to as many [races]. He didn’t come to Russia, he didn’t come to Germany. He went to Aston Martin that week, he was there on Thursday, and tested at Aston as he too tests as often as we do.

“He got a result on Friday that was negative. When Lance was tested [on Sunday], Lawrence tested again, both tests came back positive.”

Lance was in the paddock on Thursday morning in Portugal and is set to contest the Portuguese Grand Prix weekend.

READ MORE: A new track for F1, driver moves, and more talking points ahead of the Portuguese GP