Scuderia Ferrari Spanish driver Carlos Sainz has spoken out against the FIA for the decision not to install a Tecpro barrier at Turn 14, after the Spaniard crashed there in the second practice session ahead of the Miami Grand Prix and warned about the impact. The same incident happened to Esteban Ocon the following day.
The Ferrari and Alpine drivers had almost identical crashes on Friday and Saturday respectively, suffering a spin on the way through Turn 13 and hitting the concrete wall on the entry to the slow Turn 14/15 chicane. Carlos and Esteban explained that Tecpro barriers, which are designed to absorb the impact of such impacts, should have been installed in that key part of the Miami circuit – but both admitted that their concerns were not acted upon by the FIA.
“I mean, I’m sorry to be critical but I told the FIA yesterday my crash in second gear shouldn’t feel that hard, but today my neck was a bit in pain,” Carlos Sainz explained in an interview for Sky F1 after the qualifying session in Miami – “I told them ‘let’s put Tecpro there’ because it’s [a] very hard concrete wall. Esteban went to crash and I’m pretty sure he felt it too. It’s one of those things I will never understand. I did bring it up already, [but] no change.” – the Ferrari driver added.
“The impact has been so hard in comparison to what it should have been. We discussed it with Carlos yesterday with the race directors, to say we should probably put a Tecpro barrier there, and it hasn’t been listened [to]. So that is not acceptable, and the FIA should push harder for our safety.” – Alpine driver Esteban Ocon confirmed.
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