FIA explains why Q2 started with F1 recovery vehicle on track

Formula 1 race director Michael Masi says the FIA will review its procedures after the second part of Turkish Grand Prix qualifying was allowed to start while a recovery vehicle was in use.

While Nicholas Latifi’s Williams was still being recovered after the Canadian had beached his car into the Turn 8 gravel during Q1, the drivers were released to begin the second segment of qualifying in Istanbul.

A green light was clearly visible on the display panel as McLaren’s Lando Norris passed the scene of the accident as marshals worked to clear Latifi’s stricken Williams.

A number of drivers queried why race control had allowed Q2 to get underway while marshals were still at work.

Marussia driver Jules Bianchi suffered fatal injuries when his car collided with a crane that was recovering Adrian Sutil’s Sauber during wet conditions at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.

Masi explained that race control had been informed the vehicle would be clear by the time the drivers reached Turn 8 and said it was “not a scenario we want to see” as he confirmed it will be reviewed.

"We released the cars from pit lane as the recovery vehicle was moving to the escape road following information given to race control by the clerk of the course that the vehicle would be clear of the track before the cars on their outlaps reached Turn 8, where the recovery was taking place,” he said.

"As soon as it became apparent that the recovery vehicle had been delayed in moving completely into the barrier opening, we extended the area of double-waved yellow flags from Turn 8 to the entry point of Turn 7 to further slow down the cars on their outlaps.

"Clearly this is not a scenario we want to see, and with the benefit of hindsight we would have done it differently and held the cars until the recovery was completed.

"We will review our procedures to minimise the likelihood of similar incidents in future."