FIA Explain 'Unusual Situation' Which Left Tsunoda Unable To Unlap Himself - WTF1

Almost a twelvemonth aft the Abu Dhabi ‘lapped cars’ saga, the FIA inactive needed to larn their acquisition aft letting Nicholas Latifi and Alex Albon un-lap themselves during the 2nd information car astatine the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

But, not everything is arsenic it seems.

F1 fans were near a small puzzled during this weekend’s contention aft Yuki Tsunoda was near chilling successful the mediate of the pack, not wherever helium was expected to be, and galore believed that Race Control simply forgot astir Yuki. Poor Yuki. 

Last year’s fierce scrutiny astatine the Abu Dhabi play finale saw Michael Masi neglect to let each lapped cars to rejoin the pb lap. I’m not going to lie, seeing lone Latifi and Albon’s numbers popular up connected the surface sent maine into a small spot of a panic.

But, each is bully and good arsenic the FIA has present explained wherefore Tsunoda was not allowed to un-lap himself astatine the information car restart, and it’s alternatively unusual.

This season, an automated strategy was introduced to amended the procedure. However, the quality of the pitlane layout astatine Interlagos caused a unusual complication which led to Yuki Tsunoda being overlooked. Oops.

The FIA explained that “all of the systems functioned correctly and according to the regulations. The antithetic concern arose arsenic a effect of the idiosyncrasies of the circumstantial circuit and scenario.”

After the information car restart, Yuki was the archetypal operator to transverse the Safety Car Line 1 earlier the pit lane entrance. Therefore erstwhile helium crossed it for a 2nd time, the strategy would usually registry that helium is eligible to un-lap himself.

“However, astatine this time, helium entered the pitlane and was capable to spell faster than the bid of cars down the Safety Car. In doing so, helium unlapped himself erstwhile crossing the power enactment successful the pitlane.”

“When helium rejoined the circuit, the systems correctly indicated that helium was again a thigh down. However, arsenic helium had already unlapped himself once, helium was not eligible to bash truthful again erstwhile the Safety Car play was ending.”

Of course, that didn’t halt Tsunoda successful his post-race interview, saying, “I got a spot bullied by the FIA” erstwhile talking astir the bizarre scenario. You talk your truth, Yuki! 👊

Do you deliberation much needs to beryllium done to amended Safety Car regulations?