Formulation 1’s moist and wild 2024 Brazilian Grand Prix had simply reached a crucial technique level when it was interrupted – first by a security automobile activation, then Franco Colapinto’s crimson flag-causing crash.
The protection automobile was known as into motion on lap 30 of 69 final Sunday, simply as Alpine’s Esteban Ocon was placing chunks of time into eventual winner Max Verstappen.
Lando Norris had additionally simply lastly handed long-time Mercedes chief George Russell and was homing in on Pierre Gasly within the second Alpine utilizing his McLaren’s more energizing second set of intermediates. Norris’s Purple Bull title rival was metres forward.
At this stage, three-quarters of the sector was on the green-walled rubber, whereas above very darkish clouds have been depositing heavier rain onto Interlagos in comparison with something that had come down within the race to that time or qualifying early on Sunday morning.
With simply 5 drivers working the intense moist tyres – taken by Sergio Perez and Zhou Guanyu, the RB drivers and Nico Hulkenberg throughout their respective digital security automobile stops and providers shortly simply after this section – and no drivers but off-track, it raised two interlined questions.
Why was any intervention was obligatory? And why was this primary completed with simply the security automobile?
“There have been a few surprises for me in that race – one was that it wasn’t red-flagged sooner,” Purple Bull staff boss Christian Horner stated afterwards. “There have been loads of drivers that have been feeling that the situations have been too unsafe.”
The crimson flag solely got here when Colapinto crashed his Williams early on the pit straight climb whereas working at security automobile delta speeds on the thirty second tour – after he had handed the Aston Martin Vantage earlier within the lap.
Lawson handed Hamilton moments earlier than the security automobile was known as
Picture by: Lubomir Asenov / Motorsport Photographs
Afterwards, when discussing “a degree when one might have made a direct comparability between the 2 kinds of [wet] tyre over a protracted stint”, Pirelli motorsport boss Mario Isola claimed, “the neutralisation [was] induced when visibility was deemed too poor”.
Nonetheless, Autosport understands from FIA sources that the chance of aquaplaning within the all of the sudden elevated standing water – and amid the various rivers that quickly run throughout the dramatically undulating Sao Paulo observe – was what actually compelled race management to take motion with the security automobile.
The even additional diminished visibility in comparison with the race thus far was a fear for officers too, however not the first concern, with the plan to have the pack lap for just a few excursions behind the security automobile in an anticipated five-minute burst of intense rain, earlier than green-flag racing could possibly be resumed.
Colapinto’s crash undid this plan and wrecked the recovering possibilities of Norris, who had been briefly rocketing again right into a probably main place together with his a lot more energizing inters in comparison with these on the three eventual podium finishers forward at this stage.
Ocon, Verstappen and Gasly have been then capable of change their worn tyres off underneath the guaranteeing crimson flag stoppage with out dropping locations as a consequence of F1’s long-standing guidelines allowance in such circumstances.
Norris called this “a foolish rule that nobody agrees with”.
“However you may at all times agree with it when it advantages you,” he added, “So, each driver has stated they do not agree with it and wish it modified.”
Watch: How the Proper Calls Led to Verstappen’s Unbelievable Comeback – F1 Brazil GP Race Response