AlphaTauri Formula 1 driver Pierre Gasly was understandably incensed after coming within inches of careering into a tractor which was on track at the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix.
The race at Suzuka started in wet conditions, and saw numerous cars involved in incidents during the opening couple of laps, with Carlos Sainz spinning off and into the barriers.
A tractor was then brought onto the track to remove the Ferrari, and Gasly flew past the vehicle in the poor conditions.
“What is this? What is this tractor on track?! I passed next to it. This unacceptable. Remember what has happened. Can’t believe this,” Gasly said on team radio.
Gasly was referencing what happened in Japan with Jules Bianchi in 2014.
FIA statement
Amid increasing anger as images of the incident with Gasly circulated, the FIA released a statement: “The Safety Car had been deployed and the race neutralised. Car 10 [Pierre Gasly], which had collected damage and pitted behind the Safety Car, was 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.”
