Formula 1 team bosses have called in support of their drivers to ensure recovery vehicles are not sent to the tracks during races.
The decision to send vehicles, including cranes, onto the tracks during the safety car at the start of yesterday’s Grand Prix of Japan was heavily criticized by many drivers. The FIA said it would review the decision but said it was “common practice to recover cars in safety car and red flag situations”.
However, McLaren team principal Andreas Seid said driver Lando Norris took to social media to criticize the suspension of yesterday’s race and the use of recovery vehicles.
“Obviously, something like this shouldn’t happen easily,” Said said. “In the same way, it is important to discuss this with the FIA with the drivers and in a constructive way and then wait for the analysis and make sure it doesn’t happen any further.”
In the year One driver has drawn comparisons to the 2014 crash that claimed Jules Bianchi’s life, when Norris skidded and hit a crane parked near the racetrack.
Speaking before the FIA, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said the incident needed a full investigation because after Jules Bianchi’s tragic accident, they did not want to see anything like this again.
“I am sure the FIA will conduct a full investigation into this,” he added. But such safety cars should not be on the road when cars are running.
Bianchi is supported by Ferrari and team principal Mattia Binotto criticized the presence of recovery vehicles during yesterday’s race.
“Of course, with the truck running and the crane on the track, we said it’s very dangerous that shouldn’t be happening,” he explained. “So overall I think it was a bad situation, it needs to be addressed again and it can’t happen anymore.”
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2022 Japanese Grand Prix
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