Late F1 driver's father condemns recovery vehicle that put Pierre Gasly in danger

The father of Jules Bianchi led the widespread condemnation of a recovery tractor being out on track as Pierre Gasly suffered a near-miss at the start of the Japanese Grand Prix.

Eight years on from Bianchi dying from injuries suffered after crashing into a similar vehicle here at Suzuka, history almost repeated itself with the AlphaTauri of Gasly.

The Frenchman claimed he too could have been killed as a series of events led to him driving past a recovery vehicle at a speed which later saw him hauled in front of the stewards. The FIA have since said they would investigate the incident.

With the race starting under heavy rain, Gasly had collected a piece of advertising barrier and pitted at the end of lap one as a safety car was deployed to allow Carlos Sainz’s stricken Ferrari to be cleared away following a crash, with a red flag soon halting the race.

As Gasly attempted to catch the other drivers, he passed a recovery vehicle that had been sent out with no message being relayed to the field.

Gasly had a 20-second penalty applied to his race for speeding under a red flag, relegating him to 18th and last of the classified runners – but he was left fuming by the events.

“We lost Jules eight years ago in similar conditions, with a crane on track in the gravel,” he said.

“I don’t understand how eight years later, in similar conditions, we can see a crane. Not even in the gravel, on the racing line!

“It is not respectful to Jules, his family or his loved ones, or all of us. It was a dramatic incident. On that day we learned that we don’t want to see tractors in these conditions.

“If I lost the car in the same way that Carlos lost his car on the lap before? I was doing 200kph, but even at 100kph, it’s a 12-tonne crane. If I