Formula One chiefs are reviewing safety procedures after a chaotic end to yesterday’s Korean Grand Prix which saw Australian Mark Webber’s Red Bull car a torched wreck following a crash with Adrian Sutils’ Force India.
The crash happened after a safety car restart on lap 37 when Sutil braked too late and spun into the side of Webber’s car as the Aussie turned into a corner. The impact caused a fire in Webber’s car and although he quickly jumped-out uninjured, Webber was left fuming after a bumbling effort by the Korean marshals saw the Red Bull racer destroyed.
In a scenes reminiscent of F1 racing from decades ago, the nearest fire marshal was some distance away and by the time he arrived the fire had increased to a raging inferno. By then the marshal’s single extinguisher was totally inadequate and it seemed he had no idea on how to fight the fire – squirting the extinguisher foam into the left-side of Webber’s car when the fire was actually burning on the other side.
Then an SUV with more extinguishers was hurriedly dispatched onto the race circuit amongst the F1 racers going full-tilt and before the safety car could be scrambled to slow the field down and hold positions.
Fortunately no-one was injured an – aided by modern radio communications – order was restored but not before a minor fire had turned into a major catastrophe leaving the Red Bull team with a major workload to get a new car ready for Webber in time for the Japanese Grand Prix.
Some 18 laps later, Webber’s Red Bull team-mate Sebastian Vettel greeted the chequered flag to score his 34th GP win and virtually lock-in another World Championship. In fact if Vettel wins in Japan and his main rival, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso fails to score points, Vettel will have the championship already in his bag.
While Vettel again dominated in Korea, behind him the race for the other podium positions was a cracker and not decided until the very last lap. In the end, the Lotus duo of Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean claimed second and third ahead of the improving Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber’s best result since last year’s Japanese Grand Prix).
Lewis Hamilton finished fifth in his Mercedes-Benz (again showing real pace but thwarted by excessive tyre wear) with Alonso sixth.
West Aussie Daniel Ricciardo failed to finish – crashing on lap 54 of the 55-lap race – despite a clever tyre strategy which at one stage looked like providing the Red Bull Torro Rosso team with a finish in the major places. Ricciardo started on medium compound tyres with a plan to driver conservatively and stop only two for new rubber (other team were planning a three-stop race).
However Ricciardo’s strategists – like those in all other teams – had their plans tossed-out the window when the Korean circuit tossed-up a lower than expected ambient temperature and a surface short of rubber due to only one support race on the schedule. As a result it was clear from about half-distance that a three-stop race was inevitable – even though the F1 cars are considerably easier on tyres after two-thirds race distance when fuel tanks are getting down.
The other complicating factor in Korea is the very bumpy circuit which is in fact covered in snow during the winter months. The F1 cars look unusual running on their highest ride-height.
With 272 points, only a major disruption can prevent Vettel claiming another World Championship. Second-placed Alonso (195 points) is a mathematical chance only while Raikkonnen (167) and Hamilton (161) remain locked in a tussle for third place.
