Formula One’s governing body conceded on Friday it was unsafe to deploy recovery tractors on track while drivers were lapping behind the safety car in poor visibility at this month’s Japanese Grand Prix.
It added, however, that AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly drove “in a reckless manner” as he raced to catch up with the others after pitting.
The Frenchman had told reporters after the Oct. 9 race at Suzuka that he was glad to be alive after speeding past a tractor in heavy spray.
The incidents triggered anger and alarm among teams and drivers mindful that Frenchman Jules Bianchi suffered fatal head injuries when he hit a tractor at the same circuit during the 2014 grand prix.
“Having recovery cranes on track at Suzuka during these weather conditions is an extremely sensitive matter,” the FIA said in a review of the incidents.
“Nevertheless, and without undermining responsibilities regarding safety on track, we must also consider...that (Gasly) drove in a reckless manner by not respecting the flags, thereby ignoring the basic safety rules.
“As the weather conditions were changing, it is concluded that it may have been better to delay the deployment of the recovery vehicles on track,” it added.
The Suzuka data showed the field passed the crane recovering Carlos Sainz’s crashed Ferrari at reduced speeds but Gasly, who had pitted and was catching up, was doing 189kph when he went past.
The Frenchman then passed at 163kph a crane attending to Alex Albon’s stricken Williams before accelerating to a maximum of 250kph.
The review found that procedures for the recovery of cars were respected.
The FIA also announced it had scrapped the increasingly unpopular rotation of the race director role for the rest of the season, with Niels Wittich taking charge for the last four rounds.
Portugal’s Eduardo Freitas was race director at Suzuka and the previous race in Singapore.
Freitas and Wittich had alternated in the role since Australian Michael Masi left after sparking uproar at the end of last season with a title-deciding change to safety car procedures.
“From the United States Grand Prix in Austin and the following races in Mexico, Brazil and Abu Dhabi, Niels Wittich will assume the position of race director with the support of race control staff,” the FIA said.
Mercedes’ George Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, had said in Austin on Thursday that “the rotation isn’t the best thing for the sport, for the consistency”.
In measures to be implemented, the FIA said teams will now be informed via the official messaging and intercom system when a recovery vehicle is on track and will have to tell their drivers.
The wording of the rules concerning points awarded for shortened races would be “revisited” for greater clarity, the FIA added.
The track action had ended in confusion, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen unaware he had clinched his second title due to initial uncertainty over how many points were being awarded for the shortened race.
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