Safety Car, Spa-Francorchamps, 2020

Red flag not needed in response to Giovinazzi-Russell crash – Masi

2020 Belgian Grand Prix

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Formula 1 race director Michael Masi said the use of the Safety Car in response to the crash involving Antonio Giovinazzi and George Russell in the Belgian Grand Prix was the correct decision.

The amount of debris spread across the track by the two cars prompted concern from some drivers over the possibility of punctures. But Masi said “it wasn’t necessary to have a red flag” to stop and restart the race when asked by RaceFans.

“A red flag is one of the many tools available to the race director, as is the Safety Car and the Virtual Safety Car,” said Masi. “The marshals did a great job clearing a path through in the first instance quite quickly.”

“Once the Safety Car line went through, there was a very clear path through there. So, in my view, a red flag was not necessary.”

Lewis Hamilton was among those concerned about the amount of debris on the circuit. “There’s so much debris that someone’s going to get a puncture,” he said on the radio after passing the crash scene.

Russell was unable to avoid debris spread by Giovinazzi’s car when the Alfa Romeo driver crashed into a barrier and bounced back onto the circuit at the exit of Fagnes. Masi said the FIA will look into whether improvements can be made to the barrier at that point on the track.

“From the FIA perspective whenever an incident occurs it’s always something that we look at and ways that we can improve any circuit. So I don’t think it’s just a Spa matter, every single incident we see what improvements can be made.”

The crash left a significant amount of debris across the track

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5 comments on “Red flag not needed in response to Giovinazzi-Russell crash – Masi”

  1. Maybe its time that race venues have a dozen or two electric “leaf blowers” and some course workers with a scooter (outside the track of course) to get them where needed rapidly?😝😜😄

  2. Not needed, but track was full of debris and drivers passed over it, so risk of puncture was high. Masi’s logic I guess…

  3. I would see the biggest risk was on drivers who pitted on lap 10 (back-end guys who had not reached pit entry when SC was called) along with Perez and Gasly who didn’t pit during the safety car. Top-end drivers like Hamilton went through the debris area once and instantly pitted.

  4. I don’t think throwing the red flag would have made it much better, as the drivers would have gone through the debris anyway (Hamilton and others were already on the next lap). Okay, maybe under red flag conditions their speed would have been slower, perhaps allowing time for some sweeping of the track before the pack reached the crash site, but still.

    1. You can change tyres after red flag so it wouldn’t matter if you picked up a puncture

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