It was known that the end of the Australian Grand Prix was going to give people talk and many of the comments would be directed at race control, which determined a second restart for the last two laps, after the accident suffered by Kevin Magnussen, which caused the red flags and with it the second suspension of the race.
With four laps to go in the race, Magnussen touched the wall with his right rear tire, which went flying and landed on the asphalt. The car, however, was very close to one of the leaks, however, the race control determined the suspension of the race to clean the track.
After a few minutes the decision was made to restart the race, so the cars went around behind the safety car to take their proper places on the starting grid. What seemed to be a good idea in favor of the show ended with multiple crashes in the first corner, after Carlos Sainz’s contact with Fernando Alonso and then the accident between the Alpines of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon.
Other cars had to take their exhaust onto the gravel and grass, and parts of the cars were thrown into the grandstands, causing some injuries to those in attendance, and immediately the decision was made to wave the red flags again.
The race ended with two laps behind the safety car and with the prohibition to pass, now without the Alpine, in addition to a sanction to Sainz for the contact against Alonso, that benefited Checo Pérez to keep fifth place.
Complaints against the chaos of the Australian Grand Prix
Following this situation, several pilots have spoken out against this relaunch, in which Lando Norris, for example, considered that drama and spectacle were given priority before delivering justice to the pilots.
We had already seen a relaunch or two-lap sprint at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2021, when Max Verstappen had a tire burst in the area of the main straight. On that occasion it was necessary to stop the race since the rubble was scattered in a high-speed zone.
But in Australia, Magnussen’s car was left near one of the escape zones, which means that the car could be removed in a matter of minutes, as well as the tire that came off the car.
Verstappen: Everything would have been solved with a safety car at the Australian GP
Max Verstappen was one of the first drivers to speak out against the restart two laps from the end of the race, since the ideal for him would have been the virtual safety car or how much the income of the safety car to restart the race in motion for the last lap.
“I didn’t understand why we needed a red flag. If I had had a safety car and then I would have had a normal start, We wouldn’t have had all these maneuvers and then it would have a normal ending.”he stated.
Czech: “One day we will have a big accident”
These critical voices were also joined by Checo Pérez, who, although he benefited from this relaunch, prompted the FIA to take action on the matter to avoid multiple crash scenes like the Australian Grand Prix.
“I hope they realize it and do something for the future because one day we are going to have a big accident and we cannot be in that position”, said the Red Bull driver.
George Russell: “The red flag was unnecessary at the Australian GP”
George Russell was able to watch almost the entire race off the track after blowing out the engine of his Mercedes and from the pitwall area agreed with Verstappen that the red flag was not necessary. The best example was him, since his car was withdrawn under virtual safety car, which lasted only one lap, since his car was very close to the pit exit.
“That red flag was completely unnecessary. I don’t quite understand what is happening with some decisions that are being taken We are all working together with the FIA to make things better, but it is becoming quite a challenge”, said the Briton, who also directs the Pilots Association.
Fernando Alonso: “They will have to clarify that red flag”
Fernando Alonso was close to running out of points and without a podium when Carlos Sainz touched him and left him in the last places. The Spaniard immediately referred to “that damn rule” in reference to putting the show first.
He said that a restart with just two laps to go poses a greater risk for all the drivers and it will be in Baku, prior to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where the pilots will ask for explanations.
“You get a red flag for safety, but you start with a warm-up lap behind the safety car, which is going very slow (the tires are not warm enough). Thus, you create more danger than anything else ”said.
“If there is a red flag, it has to be for a reason. Probably we will ask in Baku what was the reason. I know there was a piece of tire on the first straight, but the car itself was on the inside of Turn 4.” He mentioned Spanish.
Lando Norris: “We are not here just to show off”
Lando Norris was one of the harshest voices after the Australian Grand Prix, stating that if the red flag was thrown to create one more dose of spectacle at the end of the race, he falls on land not only of insecurity, but injustice to other pilots.
“I don’t like reboots. I kinda hate them. In the first quarter of the race I will understand a restart, but in the second half, and especially with four laps to go, you screw up a lot of things.
“I don’t feel like the penultimate red flag was needed. A relaunch can easily hurt people, and you can be so unlucky after driving 56 laps perfectly and someone does something stupid in turn one. I know it’s a show, but we’re not here just to put on a good show.We want to compete with each other and be fair, and I don’t think it’s fair for everyone.” said the McLaren driver.
For now the man who remains under the microscope after the Australian Grand Prix is the race control director, Niels Wittich, who took the place of Michael Masi, and who in Italy is already asking for his position. “They must fire Wittich immediately,” public Corriere della Sera in their claims after the sanction that left Carlos Sainz without points.
