Esteban Ocon nearly drove into photographers at the Azerbaijan GP (Photo: Sky Sports)
The FIA have ‘expressed regret’ over the ‘shambolic’ end to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where several photographers were nearly run over by Esteban Ocon in the pit-lane.
Ocon had waited until the end of the penultimate lap of the race at the Baku Street Circuit to pit his Alpine for his mandatory tyre stop.
But in shocking scenes, a large group of photographers and officials had been allowed to gather at the pit-lane entrance to set up the parc ferme barriers and prepare for the podium celebrations.
Several individuals were forced to leap out of the way as Ocon, travelling at over 186mph, entered the pits, with Sky Sports commentators David Croft and Ted Kravitz described the terrifying incident as a ‘total and utter shambles of organisation’.
Soon after the race had finished, the FIA announced they were investigating the incident and later released the following statement: ‘The Stewards heard from the FIA representatives and determined that the relevant representatives took steps to set up the parc ferme area and also permitted media and other personnel to gather in the start of the pit lane and the pit wall during the last lap of the race, while the the pit lane was open and before the final pit stop of OCO (Car 31).
‘We noted that it was not unusual for the representatives to allow such persons into the pit lane just before the end of the race, in the usual course of preparation for parc ferme and the Podium ceremony.
‘However, in this case, there was one driver that had to pit in the last lap and this created a very dangerous situation for those that were in the pit lane at the time. We considered that it was fortunate that there were no serious consequences on account of what happened today.
‘We stressed that the requirements of ensuring a safe and oderly even are paramount. This was acknowledged by the FIA team.
‘We walked through the relevant procedures and protocol with the FIA representatives in detail and required them to take immediate steps to reconsider these procedures and protocols with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that this situation does not occur again.
‘The FIA representatives expressed their regret at what happened and assured us that they would do so in time for the next event.’
Onboard footage from Ocon’s Alpine showed just how close we were to a huge disaster, with the Frenchman saying: That is not something that we want to see.
‘I don’t understand why we are starting to prepare the podium and the ceremony when we are still racing, there is one lap to go and there are still people who didn’t pit.
‘Arriving at 300km/h, braking very late and I see the barriers and the people all around. This is crazy, it could have been a big, big one today.
‘I had to lift off, I had to back off, so I would not have liked to have been the ones in the middle there. If I miss the braking point, it is a big disaster, so that is a crazy moment.
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‘It’s definitely something that needs to be discussed as it is something we don’t want to see.’
Red Bull boss Christian Horner, whose driver Sergio Perez won the race, added: ‘That needs a review because Esteban is within his rights to pit on the last lap and finish in the pit lane if he wanted to.
‘That is something the FIA needs to police a little better before the end of a race.’
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Esteban Ocon nearly ran-over several photographers on the last lap of the race.