The debate over how Formula 1 handles race finishes when there’s a major incident in the closing stages boiled over again at the 2023 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, where an attempted two-lap showdown after a red flag turned to chaos in a matter of seconds – resulting in a neutralised safety car finish after all.
The complaints were led by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and fellow podium finisher Fernando Alonso – who only had his third place restored when the order was reset before the procession to the chequered flag. And large numbers of fans were upset with what they believed was Formula 1 prioritising the show by trying to ensure a green flag finish.
The Race takes a look at what actually happened, why the race officials made the decisions they did, and if there really is an ideal solution for these moments.
— see video above —
Leave a Reply