Shambolic scenes in F1 as Esteban Ocon comes across people in pitlane before end of the race
‘Absolute SHAMBLES’: Scary scenes at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Esteban Ocon comes in for his stop and sees people blocking the pit lane BEFORE the race is over…because they have to shoot sideways to avoid being hit by the Alpine driver
- F1 staff and photographers blocked the pit lane before the end of the race
- However, Alpine driver Esteban Ocon still had to make his mandatory pit stop
- People ran to avoid being hit in a moment that was almost catastrophic
Scruffy scenes marred the end of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Esteban Ocon came in for a late pitstop and encountered a number of people blocking the track.
Photographers and Formula 1 personnel moved into position on the final lap of the race in anticipation of race winner Sergio Perez, along with Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc rounding out the podium.
However, Alpine driver Ocon had not made his mandatory pit stop and was due to enter the pit lane before starting his final lap.
The Frenchman stopped to find a large number of people blocking the pit lane, with two people even seen placing a barrier over the entrance to the pit that Ocon would drive through seconds later.
Fortunately, those in the dangerous position noticed the Alpine driver just in time to shoot sideways and avoid being hit.
Esteban Ocon arrived at his pit stop to find F1 staff and photographers blocking the pit lane as they prepared for the podium ceremony before the race was even over
Fortunately, those blocking the pit lane saw the Alpine coming and were able to fire to the side
Sky Sports pundit Ted Kravitz had foreseen a potential problem when he noticed that staff were blocking the pit lane and that Ocon had to make an extra stop.
However, those who organized the arrival of those who finished on the podium and photographers clearly did not know that the Frenchman still had time to make a pit stop.
When the incident happened, Kravitz said, “What is this about? This is a mess, an absolute mess.
‘We saw it coming. Alpine saw it coming. What’s happening down there?’
Sky commentator David Croft added: “That’s a total mess of organization and someone should have known.”
Organizers will undoubtedly be faced with questions after the incident, which could so easily have had disastrous consequences.
Sky commentators realized that Ocon (pictured) was about to come in for his pit stop, but those watching the cars finishing on the podium were clearly unaware that the Frenchman was about to arrive
Under Formula 1 rules, each driver must make one pit stop during the race to allow them to switch to a different type of tire compound.
Ocon stayed out as long as possible as a late safety car could have helped the Frenchman finish higher in the standings than if he took his pit stop under normal racing conditions.
No late safety car arrived, so the Frenchman had to pit before the last lap of the race or he would be disqualified from the race.
Despite it being clear that Ocon was going to the pits, people seemed to be allowed into the pit lane, with photographers getting into position to take pictures of the top three.
It was a shocking end to what had been a very uneventful race, with Perez taking out his team-mate Verstappen while Leclerc just held off Fernando Alonso for the final podium spot.