Scuderia Ferrari has been fined 50,000 Euros for the botched pitstop that ended with one of its mechanics suffering a broken leg at the 2018 Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday. Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen had come into the pits for his second stop of the race when there was a problem at the left rear of the car. Despite the wheel not having been removed, the 2007 Formula One world champion was immediately told that the stop had been completed and he left the pit box. Mechanics were unable to detach the tyre from the car but Kimi was nonetheless given the green light to leave the pits, with the other three tyres having been changed. The mechanic, named as Francesco by Ferrari, suffered a shinbone and fibula fracture due to being struck by the wheel.
As he accelerated away, he hit the mechanic who had been standing there with the replacement wheel – running over the crew member’s leg and breaking it. As expected, the FIA summoned Scuderia Ferrari to hear its explanation for what had gone wrong, and in the end handed down a hefty 50,000 Euro sanction. In a statement issued by the stewards, the FIA said: “The Stewards determined that the car was released unsafely in breach of Art. 28.13 a). The team released the car in a manner endangering team personnel and causing injury.”
Kimi Raikkonen was forced to retire due to the incident, while Ferrari team-mate Sebastian Vettel maintained his perfect start to the year with victory.
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