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F1 Singapore GP: Drivers, teams alarmed by marshal near-miss

Nico Rosberg and Toto Wolff have reacted with surprise at the circumstances that led to a marshal being on track just as the Singapore Grand Prix restarted following a safety car period.

The safety car was called at the end of lap one to clear the wreckage of Nico Hulkenberg's Force India, which was involved in a start-line collision, with the race restarting at the beginning of lap three.

However, an apparent miscommunication led to a marshal still being on course picking up debris near turn one as the field rounded the final bend at racing speed. Though he promptly sprinted to the side of the circuit, he was still making his way to the barriers as the leaders came by.

With an investigation set to be launched by the FIA, Toto Wolff admits it was an alarming occurrence just one year on from a 'drunk' man getting onto the circuit and wandering down the track for 50 metres.

"It was very dangerous," he said. "We must give credit to race control because they restarted the race very quickly, and this is what we have asked them - not to spend endless time behind the safety car, and that probably triggered that one of the marshals, meaning well, was out there cleaning up the mess. This seems to happen and I'm really happy it ended up with nobody being hurt."

Race winner and leader at the time Rosberg, meanwhile, was similarly perplexed by the marshal's presence.

"I think just as we didn't expect the restart, he didn't either, I think, because the restart was somehow pretty abrupt. But he got out of the way just about in time so it was OK. Of course we all had to drive a bit carefully through there."

According to Autosport, it is understood a communication error in which the marshal was asked to retrieve some debris after the final call was made to bring in the safety car led to the incident, with a full investigation set to take place.

Zdroj: crash.net