FIA will “take immediate steps” in response to “very dangerous” pit lane incident

2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

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The FIA has said “immediate steps” will be taken in response to the potentially dangerous incident which occured in the pit lane during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Esteban Ocon came across a crowd of people in his path when he came into the pits to change tyres on the final lap of the race. The Alpine driver avoided hitting anyone, but said the situation could have been a “big disaster” had he not braked in time.

The stewards summoned representatives of the FIA responsible for parc ferme to explain how the situation occurred. The FIA representatives “expressed their regret at what happened” and assured the stewards they would take “immediate steps” to review the procedures in place before the next round of the championship in Miami.

The stewards noted “media and other personnel” were allowed to enter the beginning of the pit lane during the final lap. They noted it is “not unusual for the representatives to allow such persons into the pit lane just before the end of the race” but that “in this case, there was one driver that had to pit in the last lap [Ocon] and this created a very dangerous situation for those that were in the pit lane at the time.”

Stewards’ decision on the pit lane incident

The Stewards heard from the FIA representatives and 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 OCO (Car 31).

We noted that it was not unusual for the representatives to allow such persons into the pit lane just before the end of the race, in the usual course of preparation for parc ferme and the Podium ceremony. However, in this case, there was one driver that had to pit in the last lap and this created a very dangerous situation for those that were in the pit lane at the time. We considered that it was fortunate that there were no serious consequences on account of what happened today. We stressed that the requirements of ensuring a safe and orderly event are paramount.

This was acknowledged by the FIA team. We walked through the relevant procedures and protocol with the FIA representatives in detail and required them to take immediate steps to reconsider these procedures and protocols with the relevant stakeholders (including FOM, the teams and the FIA) to ensure that this situation does not occur again.

The FIA representatives expressed their regret at what happened and assured us that they would do so in time for the next event.

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2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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26 comments on “FIA will “take immediate steps” in response to “very dangerous” pit lane incident”

  1. Weird end wording, but as this was the second time letting people enter a pit lane before the end proved risky, FIA representatives should wait until everyone has reached the chequered flag.

    1. Agreed. The track is still live until the last car has taken the chequered flag, the pit lane still open. There’s nothing to stop any car from entering the pits on the last lap, even after the leader has taken the flag.

      In this case it’s even worse, because everyone knew there was a car which still needed to make its mandatory stop.

      Until the track is no longer live, they need to keep the pit lane clear. Anything else is dangerous and risks a serious incident.

  2. “We noted that it was not unusual for the representatives to allow such persons into the pit lane just before the end of the race…”

    I don’t generally watch pit lanes on the last lap of races so I was surprised at that. And more surprised that no one in the decision-making tree seems to have realised before this point that it really should be unusual. Even if no one has a mandatory stop they need to make (like Ocon), it’s still possible the pit lane might be needed.

    1. surprised that no one in the decision-making tree seems to have realised before this point that it really should be unusual.

      Exactly that, it should be regarded as a breach of procedures to allow people into a place of danger. The area should be secured safe before allowing any such group into the area.

      We walked through the relevant procedures and protocol with the FIA representatives in detail and required them to take immediate steps to reconsider these procedures and protocols

      “Reconsider” reconsider?
      Ensure a change to use a safe working practice is the phrase they want.

    2. @neilosjames My thoughts exactly.

    3. Well said there @neilosjames.

  3. The FIA representatives expressed their regret at what happened and assured us that they would do so in time for the next event.

    They will express their regret in time?

    1. They will “take immediate steps to reconsider these procedures and protocols with the relevant stakeholders (including FOM, the teams and the FIA) to ensure that this situation does not occur again.”

      Still, who are these FIA representatives? The Clerk of the Course and Race Director?

  4. Now I need drivers to question/review themselves

  5. FIA are a bunch of clowns. A car could have a reason for entering the pits at any time during a race. In fact, the race that FIA gifted to Red Bull, had Red Bull pit PER’s car at the end, even though the car was running fine, as they didn’t want to risk a retirement which could cause another flag.

    Also, I thought they just changed the rule about team’s climbing the fence, and yet, Red Bull was on the fence.

    1. I noted that too

  6. One question that hasn’t been asked is why do the teams need to have any facilities on the side of the Pit Lane adjacent to the Race Track? Apart from some media people who are involved with broadcasting the race, e.g. photographers, TV camera people, people doing commentary for the broadcast, etc, there isn’t any need for anyone to be on that side of the Pit Lane. For example, the appearance given by the race broadcast is Mercedes do all their administrating of the race from within their garage. If they can do that then why can’t the other teams? If Team Principals need to be able to look at the Race Track then maybe some of the area above their garages that overlooks the track could be given to them.

    1. Slight problem with that…

      Namely ‘F1 Paddock Club™’

    2. @drycrust that really wasn’t the issue here. It was starting the Parc Ferme procedure while the track is still live.

      1. @justrhysism I agree that maybe I was a bit hasty in my earlier statement. As I looked into this more it looked as though the Parc Ferme fences were correctly placed to allow cars to access their garages.
        Looking at George Russell’s Driver Cam you can see what appears to be people setting up the Parc Ferme barriers, but they are on the left hand side of the white track marking (some of the legs of the barriers appear to be on the white lines). So this is about the people that got onto the race track part of the Pit Lane when Esteban Ocon drove into the Pits. They shouldn’t have been there at all or they should have stayed behind the Parc Ferme barriers until it was safe for them to move beyond that.
        Looking at Ocon’s Driver Cam, as he is approaching the Pit Lane, you can see two people, one one each side of the track, each removing some sort of (pedestrian?) barrier device out of Ocon’s way, but, far more seriously, there were maybe 30 or 40 people on the actual track part of the Pit Lane, and they couldn’t get off the track and back behind the Parc Ferme barriers.

    3. The teams do show information to the driver on boards from the pit wall, which is very useful in case of communication failures.

      But, apart from that, I agree it’s unnecessary these days.

  7. It was completely unacceptable… the pit lane is LIVE until the last car crosses the finishing line.

    1. @marlarkey seems so simple doesn’t it! The FIA seem to have a nack of missing the obvious… feels like the level of professionalism has dropped in the past few years.

      1. It has. The constant format changes are becoming bothersome too.

  8. Here’s an easy fix. Scrap the rule which requires you to make a pit stop! I jest, I jest, but seriously though…

    1. I’d love to see them scrap that rule, it’s one of my last favourite roles. If a car can get to the end on one set of tyres, let them!

      However, even then, the pit lane is live until the last car has taken the chequered flag. Why they think it’s acceptable to let everyone onto a live track is beyond me!

  9. Ocon needs some credit points put on his superlicence.

  10. surprised that the steward didn’t dish out 20 seconds penalty on FIA representative though

    1. No they’re more likely to issue a penalty to Ocon for endangering people :)

  11. I can imagine some photographers shouting there to some FIA guy we need to get to the places. We need to get our job done and take to pictures and go to the best place possible and then rushing to the pitlane. I just made this up from my head but that could have happened. Then it would be their own fault. WRC and other rallies photographers don’t have any sense of safety. They want to take pictures where ever they want. I don’t say every photographer is the same but it seems like watching the news etc.. it is a bit of a habit.

  12. Christ – no-one died !

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