Esteban Ocon comes close to hitting people allowed on pit lane before the race had ended.
There was a lucky escape during the closing stages of Formula 1’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix Sunday when Esteban Ocon avoided people in the pit lane. Ocon ran a lengthy stint on the Hard tires, having started the race from the back, in the hope that a late Safety Car period of race suspension would allow him to contend for points on fresh tires. But when such a scenario failed to materialize Alpine opted to pit Ocon on the penultimate lap for his mandatory tire stop.
As Ocon came into the pit lane he encountered FIA personnel setting up parc ferme – the area where cars stop after the race – as well as other assorted personnel who had been allowed into the pit lane in advance of the podium ceremony. People swiftly darted out of the way, missing Ocon’s car by inches, and he continued to the Alpine box for his pit stop before completing the final lap of the race.
“Yeah, it was definitely scary, I don’t know why everyone was starting to prep the podium,” said Ocon.
Stewards summoned FIA representatives post-race to discuss the matter.
@TheBishF1 look at the onboard oh my goodness pic.twitter.com/I3ilpk22YR
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It was determined that the relevant representatives ‘took steps to set up the parc ferme area and also permitted media and other personnel to gather in the start of the pit lane and the pit wall during the last lap of the race, while the pit lane was open and before the final pit stop of Ocon’.
Stewards noted that ‘it was not unusual for the representatives to allow such persons in the pit lane just before the end of the race, in the usual course of preparation for parc ferme and the podium ceremony’. However, it was outlined that a ‘very dangerous situation’ was created and ‘it was fortunate that there were no serious consequences on account of what happened’.
The FIA and the stewards walked through the relevant procedures and protocol together and the governing body was told to ‘take immediate steps to reconsider these procedures and protocols with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that this situation does not occur again’.
The FIA ‘expressed their regret’ at the situation and assured stewards that a review would be undertaken in time for the next event. The first thing to change, surely, should be to simply not have anyone non-essential in the fast lane during a race.
Keyword: F1 Addresses 'Very Dangerous Situation’ in Pit Lane in Baku