Tost: Italy in lockdown is 'scary' and 'ghostly'

AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost has described Italy as "really scary" and "ghostly" with the country in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Tost returned to Italy earlier this week following the cancelled Australian Grand Prix to discover an "unusual" atmosphere.

"When I drove from Rome to Faenza for a good two hours, I met maybe 20 cars along the way. The highway was empty," he told Speedweek.

"You don't see anyone on the street here either, the whole life takes place in people's homes. We have a curfew, and you can only avoid it if you go grocery shopping, or to the pharmacy, or doctor, or to work."

Suggested to Tost the television images were reminiscent of a disaster film, he added: "Yes, it's really scary, all of that.

"You look out of the window on the street and there is not a human soul to be discovered. We are used to the fact people in Italy like to stay on vacation, Italians are sociable people anyway. It is ghostly."

Despite Italy being the worst-hit country, Tost has confirmed no team member has yet contracted COVID-19.

"Everyone in the racing team is healthy," continued Tost. "Fortunately, we have never had an infection.

"But I also have to say that we introduced very strict rules right from the start. This happened before the trip to the winter test in Barcelona.

"We said that employees who come from the so-called red zone, that was Lombardy or Veneto at the time, not the whole country, they have to stay at home and work from there. You can no longer come to the racing car factory.

"Then we cancelled all visits, both for suppliers and guests. We also had some plans for the tests in Spain, as far as guests were concerned, we cancelled everything so that we could isolate ourselves a little. So far, this has proven itself."

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