Sebastian Vettel mentioned Components One was fortunate to keep away from “a distinct final result” when Lando Norris crashed out of qualifying in moist situations in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix.
Vettel was livid qualifying was allowed to proceed when it began to rain heavier in the beginning of Q3 and radioed his Aston Martin staff that the session needs to be red-flagged because of the quantity of standing water on the circuit.
Shortly after his message, McLaren driver Norris misplaced management of his automobile on the method to the uphill Eau Rouge nook and crashed closely into the obstacles.
When instructed of the pink flag on the time, Vettel mentioned on the radio: “Yeah? Nicely what the f– did I say? What did I say!? Pink flag! Pointless.”
Vettel was the following automobile by Eau Rouge and he slowed alongside Norris’ wrecked automobile to verify the English driver was OK, with each drivers giving one another a thumbs up.
Norris climbed out of his automobile and reported he was OK, though he has been despatched to hospital for X-rays to his elbow, which he was holding as he walked away from the automobile.
Vettel, who mentioned he spoke to FIA race director Michael Masi after the session, mentioned F1 wanted to do a greater job in such conditions.
“I feel Michael [Masi] shouldn’t be happy with what occurred both,” Vettel instructed Sky Sports activities.
“It’s at all times simple to play Captain Hindsight. I feel we have to discover a manner that we pay attention extra to the knowledge that now we have. Contained in the storage, it’s very restricted, it’s like searching of a window. Three kilometres that manner, I’ve no clue.
“After I went all the way down to Eau Rouge and up the hill, it was lots of water and was calling for a pink flag. The reality is, the session shouldn’t have began in any respect. So I feel the folks that have been standing on the Kemmel Striaght, they have been within the rain and possibly we must always have listened to these.”
When requested if he was offended at Masi for not stopping the session, Vettel mentioned: “Offended… I feel it’s very tough to [be]… it’s at all times simple afterwards.
“However the principle factor is that we study from what occurred. It may have been a distinct final result with the crash. I feel we have been fortunate that nothing dangerous occurred.”
Vettel added that he felt “huge” reduction when Norris signaled that he was OK instantly after the crash.
Vettel felt Norris was powerless to do stop the crash within the situations.
“There have been issues we may have carried out higher, it’s higher to be protected one time too many than one time too little,” Vettel mentioned.
“It’s good that nothing occurred, that’s the principle information, but it surely may’ve been a distinct final result for Lando. I’m unsure there’s something he may’ve carried out.
“After all, we’re in management and you’ll say ‘should you really feel unsafe, field.’ Nevertheless it’s type of a bizarre state of affairs as a result of everyone seems to be in the identical state of affairs and also you don’t wish to get kicked out [of qualifying], you wish to progress. That call shouldn’t completely be as much as us.
“We delayed the session in the beginning when there was much less water so I’m not completely certain why we simply didn’t begin the session. As I mentioned, it’s at all times simple [to say] afterwards, however the principle factor is it doesn’t occur once more.”
