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AlphaTauri Formula 1 driver Pierre Gasly was outraged after passing a recovery vehicle on track during the safety car period before the Japanese Grand Prix was stopped.
But the FIA has intimated the vehicle had been deployed appropriately and that Gasly should have been driving slower at the time.
The stewards have issued notice that the incident will be investigated after the race, with their announcement document suggested Gasly breached regulations regarding speed after a red flag is shown.
“Car 10 reached speeds of up to 250km/h [155mph] when completing the lap under the red flag after passing the scene of the incident,” said the document.
Gasly had pitted for repairs having collected an advertising board dislodged by Carlos Sainz’s crashing Ferrari.
Onboard camera footage from the AlphaTauri at the time of the incident showed visibility in the mid-pack spray was near zero.
The safety car was called out after Sainz’s crash, with Gasly immediately pitting for a new front wing and to take full wet tyres.
His in-car camera then showed the AlphaTauri passing what appeared to be a flatbed recovery truck on the racing line. The safety car was out at the time, and the red flag was declared moments before Gasly passed the vehicle.
“What the?? What the?? What is this tractor?? What is this tractor on track?” said Gasly over team radio.
“I passed next to it… This is unacceptable. What just happened? I can’t believe this.”
The Race contacted the FIA to ask for an explanation of the situation.
The FIA reply sent to members of the F1 media did not specifically reference the timing of the recovery vehicle going onto the track, but suggested Gasly’s pace was too fast given it was under safety car conditions and the red flag came out moments before Gasly passed it.
“In relation to the recovery of the incident on lap three, the safety car had been deployed and the race neutralised,” said the statement.
“Car 10 [Gasly], which had collected damage and pitted behind the safety car, was then driving at high speed to catch up to the field.
“As conditions were deteriorating, the red flag was shown before car 10 passed the location of the incident where it had been damaged the previous lap.”
Sensitivities around incidents such as this are particularly high at Suzuka given the 2014 Japanese GP crash that led to the death of Jules Bianchi.
He aquaplaned off the road and hit a recovery vehicle attending to a previous incident, and died as a result of his injuries nine months later.
The corner where Bianchi crashed was covered by double waved yellows, but the safety car had not yet been called when he went off.
