Method 1 drivers questioned race management’s choice to not deploy the Digital Security Automotive for over a minute after the heavy crash on the finish of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The race ended below VSC circumstances after Carlos Sainz Jnr and Sergio Perez tangled on the penultimate lap and crashed right into a barrier between turns two and three.
The crash left two vehicles within the barrier and a considerable quantity of particles scattered throughout the racing line. Drivers approaching the incident had a poor view of the crash scene as they face the solar at that time on the monitor, and a few components of the Ferrari and Pink Bull had been obscured by shade.
Valtteri Bottas, who noticed the crash happen in entrance of him, instantly predicted the race can be neutralised.
“Large shunt in entrance of me,” he advised his crew. “It’s going to be a Security Automotive.”
Though the scene was instantly lined by double waved yellow flags, race management waited over a minute to impose VSC circumstances. Within the meantime drivers braked for the incident scene, then accelerated away below inexperienced flag circumstances whereas folks stood beside the crashed vehicles.
Fernando Alonso additionally known as for a Security Automotive on his radio and described the scenario as “fairly harmful.”
Advert | Grow to be a RaceFans supporter and
“Understood,” his race engineer Chris Cronin replied. “There’s a great deal of particles in all places. We’re watching tyre pressures fastidiously.”
George Russell stated he was confronted with a “wall of carbon fibre” when the 2 drivers collided forward of him. He was “shocked” by the delay earlier than the VSC was deployed.
Nico Hulkenberg, one other of the primary drivers to come across the crash, misplaced two positions after hitting particles and slowing, which allowed Lewis Hamilton and Oliver Bearman to overhaul him. “For me that was a straight Security Automotive or perhaps a crimson flag as a result of it was actual carnage down the straight,” stated Hulkenberg.
Bearman was additionally shocked race management didn’t neutralise the race extra swiftly. “I managed to overhaul him simply after the yellow flag,” he advised Viaplay. “I don’t perceive why we continued at racing speeds and never below VSC or Security Automotive with a crash of that dimension with that quantity of particles on monitor.
“I managed to overhaul him as a result of Hamilton went up the within, so I acquired a place, however it’s a bit unusual that they left the monitor below inexperienced flag like that.”
Miss nothing from RaceFans
Get a every day e-mail with all our newest tales – and nothing else. No advertising and marketing, no advertisements. Join right here:
Advert | Grow to be a RaceFans supporter and
2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Browse all 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix articles