Japan Grand Prix: Philippe Bianchi slams FIA over Pierre Gasly tractor controversy

The father of a former F1 star has slammed critics of French driver Pierre Gasly over the on-track tractor controversy at the Japan Grand Prix and taken aim at the FIA.

AlphaTauri's French driver Pierre Gasly drives in the pit lane during the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, Mie prefecture on October 9, 2022. (Photo by TORU HANAI / POOL / AFP)

The father of a former Formula 1 star who died in a serious crash at Suzuka eight years ago has threatened to write to the FIA demanding action after similar circumstances played out at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday.

AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly came within metres of a recovery vehicle that had been deployed to retrieve Carlos Sainz’s wrecked Ferrari after it aquaplaned off the track on the opening lap.

Prior to that, a race marshall was seen standing on the track attending to the Ferrari as the rest of the field drove by behind a safety car.

It immediately drew comparisons to the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, when Jules Bianchi lost control and crashed into the back of a recovery crane that had been sent to recover a rival’s car which had come off at the same turn a lap earlier.

The FIA’s initial response to the controversy, which was widely panned by drivers and team officials, was to issue a stewards notice to Gasly for speeding under red flag conditions.

AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly was furious after a recovery vehicle was on the track in poor visibility conditions at Suzuka. Picture: Clive Mason/Getty Images

The Frenchman was later penalised 20 seconds and two Super Licence points.

During the red flag delay Sky Sports commentators also appeared to lay blame at the feet of Gasly – something Philippe Bianchi, the father of Jules, took umbrage with.

“I saw the accident on social media and obviously I have a lot, a lot of anger. It’s unbelievable,” he told RMC Sport. “They’re telling Pierre he was driving too fast. That’s laughable. This is what they would have said to Jules as well.”

And the FIA did exactly that.

In its official Accident Panel report, released two months after Jules Bianchi’s crash, the FIA concluded: “Bianchi did not slow sufficiently to avoid losing control at the same point on the track as Sutil.”

Philippe Bianchi unleashed an emotional tirade directed at the FIA over what he felt was a series of events which disrespected the memory of his son.

“I said to myself ‘but where is the respect for Jules? For his family, his supporters and the other drivers?’,” he said. “They’re not cannon fodder. Nothing justifies giving the order (to send the tractor onto the track at that time).

“I think I’m going to write to the FIA because I don’t want this to continue. I don’t want there to be another accident of this kind tomorrow.

“If Jules is gone, at the very least that has to serve some purpose.”

Philippe Bianchi has defended Pierre Gasly and fired a shot at the FIA over the incident in Japan. Picture: Peter Fox/Getty Images

TV pundits slammed for Gasly blame game

The fallout from the recovery vehicle controversy at the Japanese Grand Prix has extended to the on-air coverage from host broadcaster Sky Sports, with many left outraged by the commentary team’s take on Pierre Gasly’s involvement during the red flag delay.

AlphaTauri’s French driver found himself at the centre of discussion after he drove past the recovery tractor attending to Carlos Sainz’s crashed Ferrari.

Once Gasly returned to pitlane he was seen in animated discussion with his team and race officials questioning why there was a recovery vehicle on the track while cars were still driving — a point emphasised by multiple drivers both during and after the race.

However during the race delay Sky Sports pundits initially appeared to place the blame on Gasly for driving too fast past the tractor.

French driver Pierre Gasly passes the stationary recovery vehicle during the treacherous racing conditions.

Former British racing driver Johnny Herbert said on broadcast: “You’ve got that yellow flag, you know there’s been a crash beforehand, you know there may be marshals on the circuit as well, why is he in fifth gear? I really don’t understand. That’s where for me it’s unacceptable.”

Sky Sports analyst Karun Chandhok was also quick to draw attention to Gasly’s speed while passing the recovery vehicle.

“He’s pushing on, you can listen here and he’s going a lot faster than anyone else is on track,” Chandhok said.

Pierre Gasly Gasly told reporters post-race he briefly feared for his life when he saw the tractor.

“It’s double-waved yellow (flags) and then the red, we know this from junior formula racing, you have to go at a speed at which you can be prepared to stop … and he is quite clearly going a lot quicker than anyone else was.”

Gasly had started the race in pitlane and was driving to catch up with the rest of the field that had bunched up behind the safety car.

The FIA was quick to issue Gasly with a stewards summons, and the AlphaTauri driver was later hit with a 20-second race time penalty and two superlicence penalty points.

Gasly later took to Twitter to clarify that the penalty was given for going too fast through turns 14 and 15 and not turn 12, where Sainz’s car and the recovery vehicle were located.

Gaslighting Gasly. Fia 👏

— Shashank | Danke Seb (@ShTripathy) October 9, 2022

Here we go. Victim blaming from the @fia in full force. Bear in mind this offence they’re accusing him of was after he had passed the incident.

“No we weren’t at fault - actually it’s YOU who did a thing wrong.” #Gaslighting#F1#FIA#Gaslyhttps://t.co/W1SJZvC1uc

— Brad Philpot 🏎🏁 (@BradleyPhilpot) October 9, 2022

Surely, surely not, sky f1 are actually full on gaslighting gasly into the tractor incident being his fault. That is utterly disgraceful. @SkySportsF1#JapaneseGP

— bread (@BradleyFarnill) October 9, 2022

He added that the red flag light displayed on his steering wheel came too late for him to safely react — a claim confirmed by on-board camera footage showing the display come on just seconds before he passed the tractor.

Even before Gasly elaborated on social media, fans were furious with Sky Sports for seemingly directing the blame toward the French driver and not race control for sending the recovery vehicle onto the track.

Should have been an instant red flag with a stricken car in a critical position in those conditions. Clearly debris on track too. Should NEVER EVER be a tractor on track until the cars are all collected up behind a safety car or in the pits. Gasly can’t take all the blame here

— Martin Brundle (@MBrundleF1) October 9, 2022

Martin Brundle also appeared to disagree with his Sky Sports colleagues, tweeting during the race delay: “Should have been an instant red flag with a stricken car in a critical position in those conditions. Clearly debris on track too. Should NEVER EVER be a tractor on track until the cars are all collected up behind a safety car or in the pits. Gasly can’t take all the blame here.”

Conditions were atrocious for drivers as rain lashed the Japanese Grand Prix. Picture: AFP

Chandhok later went to Twitter to defend his previous comments, adding: “The FIA should have waited until Pierre had passed the incident before releasing the recovery vehicle on track in these low visibility conditions. Pierre was also going at a much faster speed than anyone else, (and he) should have been warned where the vehicle was and slowed down.”

The FIA later released a statement hours after the race had concluded, claiming it would launch a “thorough investigation” into the incident.

It came after Gasly told reporters post-race he briefly feared for his life when he drove past the recovery vehicle which was parked inside the white line of the track and obscured by spray brought on by the wet weather.

Pierre Gasly started the race in pitlane and was driving to catch up with the rest of the field when the frightening incident occurred.

He was not the only driver furious at the circumstances, with many of his contemporaries voicing their outrage that the tractor was allowed on-track while cars were still driving.

Mercedes driver George Russell told Canal+ it was not just Gasly who could have been seriously injured.

“It’s not the Pierre Gasly incident; it’s the incident of the FIA bringing the tractor on the track,” he said.

“It’s totally unacceptable in any condition or circumstances.”

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Originally published as Japan Grand Prix: Philippe Bianchi slams FIA over Pierre Gasly tractor controversy