Carlos Sainz Jr - Sergio Perez crash
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Formula 1 News: F1 drivers slam FIA after Perez-Sainz crash

Andrew Maitland

(GMM) Three experienced Formula 1 drivers have hit out at the FIA for its handling of the Sergio Perez-Carlos Sainz Jr. crash on the penultimate lap of the Azerbaijan GP.

Given the scale of the incident on the concrete-lined streets of Baku, many were shocked that race management did not immediately wave the red flag.

“I’m surprised,” Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg admitted.

“Huge crash, a war zone with debris everywhere. There was a double yellow flag, and then suddenly green again, which really surprised me. I got caught on my heels and lost a few positions,” he said.

“I also hit something big and wasn’t quite sure what had happened to my front wing. Yeah, very surreal final two laps.”

George Russell, a Mercedes driver but also a senior director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, also questions the way the FIA handled the incident – with an eventual virtual safety car.

“Full gas into a wall of carbon fiber on the penultimate lap,” he said when asked what the most notable moment of his Azerbaijan GP experience was.

“I mean, that was pretty crazy,” added Russell. “The sun was coming down. You couldn’t see anything. I was shocked the safety car or VSC didn’t come out sooner.

“You know, the cars could have been anywhere. So, glad to see everybody was ok.”

As for triple world champion Max Verstappen, he may have been among those who suspect the sport may have prioritized a finish to the race that was more spectacular than a red flag or safety car.

“That should have been a safety car straight away,” said the Red Bull driver. “I don’t understand this at all. Two cars had just crashed into the wall at high speed.

“I don’t understand why it took them (race officials) so long. Then they wave double yellow flags. Just send out the safety car!” Verstappen exclaimed.

“Nothing more is going to happen anyway, and the whole track is full of junk and parts. Why do we get a virtual safety car then?” he wondered.