FIA defends controversial decision after marshals caught on track in F1 Las Vegas GP. The FIA defends its decisions after marshals were still on track during the Las Vegas GP.

Stewards still on track, FIA defends its decision during the Las Vegas GP

During the Las Vegas Grand Prix, some marshals were still on track when the entire group of cars passed by — and the FIA has defended its choice in a way many fans consider absurd. The race, held yesterday, featured an extremely dangerous situation that was unfortunately not even the first of the season. On lap two, as the field approached Turn 1, several marshals were still inside the wide runoff area, working to remove debris left by the cars involved in the opening-lap collision. The reasoning provided by the Federation has raised plenty of criticism.

FIA oversights: not the first time

Sadly, this is not the first time we have seen such incidents, which are extremely risky for the marshals. An even more alarming situation happened in Mexico. Liam Lawson, after pitting early and dropping away from the pack, arrived at Turn 1 only to find two marshals directly on the racing line. They sprinted away at the last moment when they realised the danger.

The FIA did not display any yellow flags or, better yet, neutralise the race with a Virtual Safety Car or a full Safety Car. And the same situation repeated itself, once again, in Las Vegas.

The explanation

According to Autosport, the International Federation considered the intervention safe because double yellow flags were shown even before the final corner to warn drivers of the hazard, and because the debris was located off the racing line, meaning the marshals did not have to cross the track. In fact, the following lap, when crossing the track became necessary to complete the clean-up, the VSC was deployed.

Former race director Niels Wittich reacted with strong criticism. «It must not happen; it is an unacceptable situation. You must wait for the last car to cross the start-finish line before taking action. During the opening laps, with the field still so close together, there is plenty of time available. Double yellow flags are no longer enough».

His words carry extra weight given his recent experience in the role and underline a growing concern among drivers, teams and fans that marshal safety protocols need urgent review before someone gets seriously hurt.

With Qatar and Abu Dhabi still to come, the spotlight is now firmly on the FIA to ensure scenes like Las Vegas and Mexico are consigned to history – permanently.