LONDON: Formula One was once accused of hanging leisure sooner than game in Sunday’s crash-strewn and triple-stopped Australian Grand Prix however whether or not all the ones purple flags had to be thrown is a troublesome debate.
In protection of race director Niels Wittich, protection at all times comes first.
Aston Martin mike crackwhose Spanish motive force Fernando Alonso completed 3rd after the general purple flag reset the sphere to grid positions on the final re-start, stated it was once simple to criticize from the out of doors.
“Was it safe for the cars to go through the debris? It’s not easy to judge. But the race director has to make a decision and as far as safety is concerned the decision must be respected even if we don’t like it,” he stated.
The race was once halted early on when Alex Albon’s Williams was once caught on a kerb, with gravel strewn around the observe.
The 2d stoppage got here with 4 laps to move when Kevin Magnussen’s Haas hit the wall, with a tire ripped off within the have an effect on amid scattered particles.
The 3rd standings beginning of the day, with two laps of racing to come back, then resulted in carnage with a 3rd purple flag and positions reverting to the former grid order for the reason that first sector had now not been finished.
The box finished the final lap in the back of the security automotive.
“I don’t feel like the second to last red flag was needed,” stated McLaren’s Lando Norris. “The last one, I’m sure it was because there was a lot of people in the gravel and things, but the one before, possibly not. Maybe to put on a bit of a show.”
Mercedes’ George Russell, who retired from the race, stated the primary purple flag was once “totally unnecessary”.
Red Bull’s double global champion Max Verstappen additionally criticized the final stoppage and stated officers had created an issue for themselves.
Former F1 racer and Sky Sports commentator Martin Brundle introduced a unique viewpoint.
“I don’t think there’s any instruction to whiz this shows up when required,” he stated.
“It’s very easy for us to sit on the sidelines going ‘should have done this, should have done that’. But back in 2009 Felipe Massa nearly died (in Hungary) with a piece of somebody else’s car coming through his cockpit.
“If there are items of particles at the observe you’ll’t have them flying throughout the air at a few hundred miles an hour.”
It later emerged that a spectator had suffered a cut to his arm when struck by a piece of debris from Magnussen’s car.
Red flag calls are the responsibility of the race director but the FIA also has a new sporting director. Steve Nielsen and a remote operations center to ensure the correct processes are then followed.
mercedes boss Toto WolffSo apoplectic after a notorious 2021 Abu Dhabi finale in which a late tweak to safety car procedures cost Lewis Hamilton a record eighth title, agreed the rules were followed but wanted more clarity.
“Restarts are a perfect leisure issue, however we want to perceive going ahead when a purple flag is being put out and when this can be a protection automotive or a VSC (digital protection automotive). For the ones incidents that you must have implemented both,” he said.
“Formula One is such a success as a result of this can be a game and we observe the rulebook and that provides nice leisure, so long as it’s transparent how it’s being interpreted.”
In protection of race director Niels Wittich, protection at all times comes first.
Aston Martin mike crackwhose Spanish motive force Fernando Alonso completed 3rd after the general purple flag reset the sphere to grid positions on the final re-start, stated it was once simple to criticize from the out of doors.
“Was it safe for the cars to go through the debris? It’s not easy to judge. But the race director has to make a decision and as far as safety is concerned the decision must be respected even if we don’t like it,” he stated.
The race was once halted early on when Alex Albon’s Williams was once caught on a kerb, with gravel strewn around the observe.
The 2d stoppage got here with 4 laps to move when Kevin Magnussen’s Haas hit the wall, with a tire ripped off within the have an effect on amid scattered particles.
The 3rd standings beginning of the day, with two laps of racing to come back, then resulted in carnage with a 3rd purple flag and positions reverting to the former grid order for the reason that first sector had now not been finished.
The box finished the final lap in the back of the security automotive.
“I don’t feel like the second to last red flag was needed,” stated McLaren’s Lando Norris. “The last one, I’m sure it was because there was a lot of people in the gravel and things, but the one before, possibly not. Maybe to put on a bit of a show.”
Mercedes’ George Russell, who retired from the race, stated the primary purple flag was once “totally unnecessary”.
Red Bull’s double global champion Max Verstappen additionally criticized the final stoppage and stated officers had created an issue for themselves.
Former F1 racer and Sky Sports commentator Martin Brundle introduced a unique viewpoint.
“I don’t think there’s any instruction to whiz this shows up when required,” he stated.
“It’s very easy for us to sit on the sidelines going ‘should have done this, should have done that’. But back in 2009 Felipe Massa nearly died (in Hungary) with a piece of somebody else’s car coming through his cockpit.
“If there are items of particles at the observe you’ll’t have them flying throughout the air at a few hundred miles an hour.”
It later emerged that a spectator had suffered a cut to his arm when struck by a piece of debris from Magnussen’s car.
Red flag calls are the responsibility of the race director but the FIA also has a new sporting director. Steve Nielsen and a remote operations center to ensure the correct processes are then followed.
mercedes boss Toto WolffSo apoplectic after a notorious 2021 Abu Dhabi finale in which a late tweak to safety car procedures cost Lewis Hamilton a record eighth title, agreed the rules were followed but wanted more clarity.
“Restarts are a perfect leisure issue, however we want to perceive going ahead when a purple flag is being put out and when this can be a protection automotive or a VSC (digital protection automotive). For the ones incidents that you must have implemented both,” he said.
“Formula One is such a success as a result of this can be a game and we observe the rulebook and that provides nice leisure, so long as it’s transparent how it’s being interpreted.”