Formula One sport chief Ross Brawn said Monday that 80,000 coronavirus tests had been carried out in the season completed in Abu Dhabi on Sunday with fewer than 100 returning positive.

Brawn said in his column on the F1 website that the positive rate was "0.11 per cent. That’s an impressive statistic and proves that the biosphere system worked."

The F1 season start was delayed from March to April amid the global pandemic and cut from 22 races to 17, mostly behind closed doors.

Teams operated within bubbles and adhering to strict hygiene protocols, but three of the 20 drivers, including world champions Lewis Hamilton, missed races with positive tests.

"This has been a remarkable year, with the Covid-19 pandemic making life challenging for everyone across the globe," said Brawn.

"It is testament to the ingenuity of the many brilliant people who work in the sport that we have been able to complete a 17-race championship.

"The rules have been tough – but they have been necessary for us to go racing."