The Mercedes F1 team will start delivering breathing devices to the NHS this week.

It is part of Formula 1’s Project Pitlane scheme to help fight coronavirus and will go ahead after patient trials across London.

The Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices, which help coronavirus patients with lung infections to breathe more easily, were developed by engineers at the Mercedes team, University College London (UCL) and clinicians at UCL Hospital.

In response to a UK government order of 10,000, the Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains technology centre in Brixworth is now building up to 1,000 devices per day.

Andy Cowell, Managing Director of Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains, said: “Since the project was announced, we have received an incredible number of enquiries about the CPAP device from around the world.

“Making the design and manufacturing specifications available on an ‘open source’ basis will allow companies around the world to produce these devices at speed and at scale to support the global response to Covid-19.”

Currently 40 machines, which would normally produce F1 pistons and turbochargers, are being used for production of the CPAP devices.