Ferrari and Mercedes have taken up Bahrain's vaccination offer ahead of the 2021 season opener.

We reported last week that despite the Kingdom of Bahrain offering Formula 1's entire travelling circus the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the sport turned it down.

F1 explained that it has "no plans to be vaccinated as a travelling group ahead of the already established rollout of vaccines through the health system in the UK".

La Gazzetta dello Sport, however, claims that Ferrari has in fact answered 'yes' to Bahrain's vaccine offer.

"This means that, strictly on a voluntary basis, the staff of the team that is already in Bahrain for the pre-season test will have time to receive the double dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine," correspondents Luigi Perna and Giusto Ferronato wrote.

"Ferrari first contacted the health authorities of Emilia Romagna and in the absence of any objection a total of about 100 team members have already been vaccinated," the Italian newspaper added.

"Mercedes has also offered the same opportunity to its staff."