The São Paulo Grand Prix will go down in history as one of the most spectacular races of the year. This latest edition of the race weekend in Brazil was plagued by heavy rainfall – with all the ensuing consequences. No less than six red flags were waved over the weekend! The drivers later complained about the ‘dangerous’ conditions on the track.
Many images of onboard radios that were not broadcast during the São Paulo GP are being shared on social media. The messages from the drivers are telling. Particularly a message from Oliver Bearman (pictured), who stepped in for a sick Kevin Magnussen last weekend, is causing quite a stir. “I really can’t see anything,” the young reserve driver cries out in panic, as the rain pours down from the sky. “Call out the FIA on this; it’s really very dangerous. I don’t want to die yet.”
Max Verstappen also complained that it was becoming ‘too dangerous’ on the circuit. “It really needs to be red,” he called over the onboard radio. “All the drivers are saying the same thing Max, I have no idea what the FIA is doing,” replied race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase. “This is becoming too dangerous, the car is uncontrollable,” he sounded frustrated.
It was only after the first pit stops, when Interlagos increasingly began to resemble a river, that the FIA intervened. The safety car was dispatched to get the situation under control. However, it turned out to be too late. Franco Colapinto tried to catch up with the cars ahead of him, but skidded off the track in turn twelve. Only then was the red flag finally waved.
‘Like I was steering a boat’
This was a notable mistake, according to Mercedes driver George Russell. He later told Sky Sports that the race management should have intervened much earlier. “I thought it would be a safety car or a red flag much sooner,” he said. “It already felt like I was steering a boat.” According to Russell, who is also the chairman of the Formula 1 drivers’ union, many cars had already slowed down before the safety car was dispatched.
“I was shocked,” Russell said about the FIA’s late intervention. “I couldn’t even keep my foot on the gas pedal on the straight. The car was aquaplaning, so those were a few very dangerous laps. I guess the FIA must love action,” he concluded cynically. The organization has been experimenting with solutions to make rain races safer for some time, but tests with special mudguards have so far yielded little.
