Stewards deemed it a dangerous scene in Singapore – Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi gets too close to a recovery crane during a safety car phase on lap 37, rescuing George Russell’s car at turn eight.

After an accident between Grosjean and Russell, the young Williams driver crashes into the barrier through no fault of his own. A safety car called, the marshalls working on track with a recovery crane.

The Italian rounds the corner to find the crane on track, turning right the driver avoids it but is travelling at a speed deemed too dangerous and has since been given a 10 second penalty. Although the speed is slow for Formula 1, it is still extremely dangerous in the event of a collision with marshalls on track at the time. One must also recall the horror of Jules Bianchi in 2014 to know what happens when an F1 car hits a heavy plant vehicle.

The decision does not affect his 10th place finishing position as he finished 16 seconds ahead of Romain Grosjean.
“The race director had instructed all cars to stay to the right at the incident at Turn 8, because of the crane and marshals working the crash at that location,” noted the stewards. “There was a double waved yellow before the incident.

Marshall visible next to the crane

“While the Stewards accepted the explanation of the driver that he felt he was going sufficiently slowly, and while he was driving to his SC delta time, he did however end up driving closer to the crane and marshals than was felt safe by either the marshals on location or the race director. The stewards concur. The driver had been told of the location of the incident and to stay right, but may not have considered that the crane was moving.

“The stewards consider this to be a potentially seriously dangerous situation and a risk to the marshals, and order a ten second penalty.”