The zero car left on the track caused a serious danger in the first special stage of the Japan World Rally Championship on Saturday.
The Saturday of the World Rally Championship in Japan started with a serious incident. Four drivers made it to the first special stage of the day, even though the zero car was stuck on the 20.32 kilometer route.
Hyundai’s Belgian driver Thierry Neuville arrived first. Neuville knew how to slow down and passed the place safely.
Moments later, the special test was stopped, but Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta didn’t get information about it right away and passed the place at full race speed.
Ford’s too Ott Tänak and Hyundai Esapekka Lappi have time to start the special exam before it is interrupted. However, they did not have time to reach the zero car left on the route.
This is how the FIA explained the events
According to the International Automobile Federation (FIA), the zero car had stopped to guide spectators away from dangerous viewing areas. The race organizers were informed that the car was in a safe place and the clip could be started.
– When Neuville arrived at the 8.6 kilometer mark, they caught the zero car, which was still stalled. Right after that, the clip was given red flags. When safety had been ensured, the special test was started again, the FIA says in its press release.
The FIA and the race organizers plan to jointly investigate the events.
– A very dangerous situation. Fortunately, the zero car was in such a place that the drivers had time to react. The car wasn’t after any high-speed corners, but Katsuta did come to that place pretty hard and I noticed the zero car in the last ting, Urheilu’s expert Henri Haapamäki stated.
Crazy events already last year
The arrangements for the World Rally Championship in Japan failed miserably a year ago, when a civilian car ventured on the route. WRC2 drivers Sami Pajari, Emil Lindholm and Teemu Suninen had to dodge a car that unexpectedly drove into them.
Sami Pajari tells about a scary dangerous situation when a civilian car ventured on the World Cup rally route – “I was absolutely sure it would hit my car”
It has happened and happened in Japan now.
– There has been a lot of talk about the sanctions that should be given to the race organizers if the safety issues of the rally are neglected. Last year, a civilian car got on the route, and now the zero car was still on the route, when the racing cars already started driving, Haapamäki said.
– Yes, the FIA should take some kind of action, otherwise a really bad accident could happen. That would bring a bad reputation to the rally, Haapamäki thought.