AlphaTauri’s French driver Pierre Gasly walks past fans in a rainstorm at the Formula One Japan Grand Prix in Suzuka, Mie prefecture on October 9, 2022. (Photo by Philip FONG/AFP)
LONDON — Formula One’s governing body said on Wednesday it had looked into ‘procedural issues’ that occurred at the Japanese Grand Prix and would correct them in the future.
The Paris-based FIA didn’t explain what it was referring to but the October 9 shortened race at Suzuka caused fury and alarm when a recovery tractor was deployed while the vehicle was running. the car is following the vehicle safely in low visibility and slippery conditions.
There was also post-race confusion over the scoring system, with Max Verstappen and his Red Bull team, along with most of the presenters and global television audience, initially unaware that the Dutch driver was Lan won the championship.
“As stated immediately after the race, the FIA ​​conducted a thorough analysis of the incidents that took place at the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka,” it said in a statement following the World Motor Sports Council meeting. in London.
“Procedural issues have been identified and will be fixed in the short and medium term. The findings will be made publicly available in the coming days.”
AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly did say he was happy to be alive after he passed the tractor before the red flags were displayed to stop the race.
The French player recalled his compatriot Jules Bianchi, whose car crashed into a tractor under similar circumstances at the 2014 Grand prix circuit. Bianchi died in hospital in July 2015.
“How can we see a crane today, not even on gravel but on the track while we are still on the track? I don’t get it,” said Gasly, who was fined by the managers for speeding after the red flags were waved.
“I passed two meters from that crane. If I was two meters to the left, I’d be dead. “
Other drivers also spoke out in the strongest terms about the incident.
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez said: “What happened today makes me very angry. “I just hope everyone in the sport never sees this situation again.”
The score confusion was the result of changes made after last year’s Belgian Grand Prix rained horribly, with teams including Red Bull erroneously assuming reduced points would be awarded.
The FIA ​​confirms a record 24 calendar years next year, with six sprints.
Safety improvements for 2023 include larger mirrors for better ‘blind spot’ visibility and further changes to revs that have been enhanced following the Alfa Romeo racer’s major crash, Guanyu Zhou at the British Grand Prix.
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