---
title: "F1 drivers urged FIA to stop cranes being on track before Suzuka incident"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2022/10/10/f1-drivers-urged-fia-to-stop-cranes-being-on-track-before-suzuka-incident/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths"
section: "F1 News"
published: "2022-10-10T10:54:34Z"
modified: "2022-10-10T10:54:36Z"
---

# F1 drivers urged FIA to stop cranes being on track before Suzuka incident

Formula 1 drivers spoke of their dislike at recovery vehicles being out on track in a drivers’ briefing before the “unacceptable” incident in Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix.

Drivers vented their anger at a crane being sent out to recover Carlos Sainz’s wrecked Ferrari after his first-lap crash, with the vehicle on the racing line as the cars passed it under safety car conditions.

With visibility very poor, Pierre Gasly approached the incident after pitting to remove an advertising hoarding on his car and passed just within metres of the tractor at racing speed.

Gasly was left furious at how he had not been informed at the crane being let out on to the circuit, with a red flag shown only just before he arrived at the scene at the Turn 12 right-hander.

This left drivers unanimous in their fury as to why the tractor had been allowed to begin recovering Sainz’s car before all cars had passed the wreckage.

Mercedes driver and GPDA director George Russell said the topic of recovery vehicles being out on track had been raised in meetings before Suzuka, after a similar incident in Singapore when Yuki Tsuonda crashed under a safety car.

Sebastian Vettel, who is also a GPDA director, referred back to Jules Bianchi’s fatal crash at the same venue in similar conditions back in 2014.

“It’s just not acceptable,” Vettel said, as quoted by Motorsport.com. “We spoke about this also in the drivers’ briefing, the service car should never be on the road when we are out in these conditions. Not even when there’s a safety car.

“I think we must just understand that today was one of these odd days where things could have gone wrong. And then somebody might pay the price.

“A marshal, that is volunteer here to help and do a great job, or a driver in the car. Even the slightest injuries are unnecessary. But we had a very traumatic scene eight years ago, so it was way too close to the repetition today.”

Fernando Alonso said drivers are open to helping the FIA improve safety but hoped there would be an explanation as to how and why the crane was given permission to enter the circuit.

“It was a difficult afternoon for everyone, so we are \[willing\] to help FIA,” he said. “But after 2014 we agree that will never happen again, and it happened today, so we need to work together to make sure that this is the last, last, last \[time\].

“It’s unacceptable for sure. But at the same time we need to understand why that tractor was there, who made the decision, who made that call, if they misunderstood something and the tractor was out without permission from the race director.

“So until we find the full explanation, which we will require the full explanation, we cannot comment too much.”

McLaren’s Lando Norris expressed his anger on the incident during the red flag stoppage on social media, and he too cited that F1 still hadn’t learned enough from Bianchi’s accident.

“I’m sure it reminded everyone of what happened several years ago and we had to lose a life in order for us to simply learn that things like that shouldn’t happen,” said Norris.

“And it somehow happened again. I don’t know who okayed it and allowed the truck to go on track like that, especially in a place that Carlos had just aquaplaned and lost control.

“How someone thought it was okay to not only risk going on track themselves, but to put us drivers at risk, literally our lives at risk, is unacceptable.

“I shouldn’t have to deal with that, no other driver should have to deal with that. Disappointing, I’m sure it will get resolved, it’s a very simple thing – just don’t do it. Don’t drive a truck on track when the cars are on track. That’s it.”