FIA to review use of recovery vehicles after crane incident at Japanese GP

Formula One’s governing body will conduct a thorough review of its procedures in using recovery vehicles on track after drivers reacted with fury when a crane was deployed during the Japanese Grand Prix.

The AlphaTauri driver, Pierre Gasly, narrowly missed the crane while driving at 200km/h and insisted he would have been killed had he struck the vehicle.

The race, won by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen – who also claimed his second F1 world championship at Suzuka – took place in heavy rain with very poor visibility and grip.

The circumstances were similar to those of 2014, when Jules Bianchi hit a crane which was attempting to remove a stricken car and sustained injuries from which he would later lose his life.

The rest of the field except Gasly were behind the safety car on lap two when the crane was used, which is within the FIA’s regulations, however there was an overwhelming belief this was not acceptable.

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, whose accident had triggered the recovery, condemned the decision to deploy the crane at all.

“Behind the safety car, we’re going at 150km/h, and still we cannot see anything,” he said. “If a driver has small aquaplaning, or gets out of the racing line, and hits a tractor, it’s over. Why risk a tractor on track? They were going to red flag anyway.”

The race was red-flagged just moments after the grid had passed the incident and just as Gasly approached the crane.

The chair of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, Alex Wurz, was also blunt in condemning the incident. “I think we need to discuss a tractor on track … we can keep it short: this must NOT happen guys”, he tweeted.

Amid the widespread blacklash, the FIA confirmed it will examine its procedures.

I think we need to discuss a tractor on