Formula One drivers expressed their sympathy with fans at the Shanghai International Circuit after the second practice session was cancelled.
The first practice session was also repeatedly red-flagged as the medical helicopter was unable to fly to a nearby hospital.
“Not a very exciting day today with the practice sessions,” Stoffel Vandoorne reflected. “Not much running unfortunately for us and for the fans as well.”
A frustrated Daniel Ricciardo said he understood the reasons for practice being cancelled.
“You hope throughout the whole session you’ll get some laps but now it’s sinking in it was a pretty pathetic kind of day,” he said.
“At the same time I understand why, it’s for safety, from that point of view I get it. It just sucks, the circumstances.”
Sebastian Vettel added his sympathy for those who had bought tickets for Friday’s running. “Obviously today we are missing practice but so is everyone else.”
“It’s a shame for the people that came out. Usually they are very happy to see us, pumped up for the race. And now one day is falling away, they didn’t get to see much running.”
“Formula One is only here once in China a year so that’s the biggest shame. But nothing we can do from my understanding.”
Lewis Hamilton, who used the opportunity to interact with fans during the end of the cancelled second session, took to social media to urge F1’s new owners Liberty Media to respond to the setback in a positive way.
“This could actually be a blessing in disguise,” he said. “A chance for new bosses to be proactive and be creative.”
Jeffrey (@jeffreyj)
7th April 2017, 9:35
What does Hamilton mean by that? In what way could Liberty be creative and/or proactive? And when?
Theoddkiwi (@theoddkiwi)
7th April 2017, 9:43
He took to the track on foot to mingle with the fans, taking selfies and handing out signed hats to the crowd while all the rest of the drivers stayed in their garages.
Maybe he thinks all the drivers should get out of the garage an great the fans and try to make some fun out of it.
He did a similar thing in Melbourne before the drivers parade, walking up the main straight
Jeffrey (@jeffreyj)
7th April 2017, 9:56
So maybe he means Liberty should provide more opportunity for fans to come close during the weekend. I mean I get that and I agree, but that sort of thing should be improved in general.
If the weather is bad (like USA 2015) or other pressing reasons to cancel the track action (smog/heli problems or whatever), there isn’t much F1 can do about it. Maybe F1 could have put the drivers on the parade car but yeah… a drivers parade isn’t excactly an F1 car driven in anger.
ECWDanSelby (@ecwdanselby)
7th April 2017, 9:59
I think he just means have some sort of contingency plan, something in an organised fashion. Perhaps you send half the drivers out to the stands, and allow X amount of fans in the pitlane.
Something along those lines.
Jeffrey (@jeffreyj)
7th April 2017, 10:10
Hamilton is proposing a program switch up now:
I kinda like this actually.
ColoradoSTi
7th April 2017, 16:34
Getting to go down into the pits at the 2015 USGP turned that whole week from being the dumpster fire that it was to being a great memory and a great time. Got to see most of the drivers, and got to get a picture with the Williams car – *in* the garage.
The best part, by far, was getting to see the team members in the garages. Every single one of them seemed like a bloke I’d want to have a beer with, and they seemed just as excited to talk to us as we were to get to meet them. When i think back on that weekend, those two hours usually make me forget how miserable and cold and wet me and everyone else camping at the site were.
It doesn’t seem like rocket science for them to just put this in a plan and execute it when necessary – or – maybe do this *every* race weekend?!
alanore (@alanore)
7th April 2017, 11:30
Hats off to him for that, other drivers should have followed his lead.
G. (#F1insperations) (@greggriffiths)
7th April 2017, 12:35
+1 @ Alanore – here are all the others drivers doing nothing to make sure that fans dont feel let down.
erikje
7th April 2017, 13:11
Nope, more drivers did it.. i.e Look at the phone.
Kgn11
7th April 2017, 9:45
One suggestion he gave was:
“Sat program: 3 practice sessions, qualifying Sunday morning and then race. Who’s down for the switch up?”
Maybe that sort of creativity.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
7th April 2017, 10:38
To be fair to him, he later indicated that wasn’t a serious suggestion.
Kgn11
7th April 2017, 12:03
Wouldn’t be such a bad idea if we have a repeat of today’s practice cancellation.
Anthony
7th April 2017, 10:42
What would we do on a race weekend Friday?
F1Supremo
7th April 2017, 23:42
Reruns of M*A*S*H
Hugh (@hugh11)
7th April 2017, 13:21
I was thinking he meant perhaps do FP2 later today, when all the safety stuff is sorted, so the fans still get to see the cars. Of course there are schedules for the support series to think about, but still.
Ashwin (@redbullf1)
7th April 2017, 15:02
I don’t know I think teams may enter the first practice session and may or may not attend the second and third ones. They wouldn’t want to risk crashing the car and not have enough time to make it to the quali and race.
Robert McKay
7th April 2017, 18:44
We had Sunday morning quali before, the TV companies hated it and it got ditched after about 4 races from memory.
bogaaaa (@nosehair)
7th April 2017, 9:58
Until the tragic events of Jules l use to get peeved with these delays.
Ben (@chookie6018)
7th April 2017, 14:53
+1
Ashwin (@redbullf1)
7th April 2017, 15:02
+1 Yes better to be safe than sorry !
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
7th April 2017, 10:07
They should man up, be adult and drive the cars at 8/10ths to get some data. Just limit quali runs etc..
I am certain they could drive the cars very fast while keeping a good safety reserve.
ECWDanSelby (@ecwdanselby)
7th April 2017, 11:20
You’re missing the point. It’s the medical helicopter that had the issue, not the cars. If one of these drivers had a crash (even while going at 8/10ths), the medical helicopter needs to be able to rush them to a hospital ASAP if they need medical treatment. If that’s compromised, it’s a non-starter, unfortunately.
George
7th April 2017, 12:23
The medical heli could be replaced by a ambulance drive… 45km isn’t that far, and taking chopper loading and unloading, takeoff and landing procedures into account, an ambulance drive won’t be that much slower, in the event something happens. The only real problem is that there is no contingency planned. Amateurish at best.
MazdaChris (@mazdachris)
7th April 2017, 12:32
The requirement is that the emergency vehicle, whether an ambulance or a heli, has to be able to reach the hospital within 20 minutes of setting off. Clearly 45km in 20 minutes is not something you can do with an ambulance.
bosyber (@bosyber)
7th April 2017, 13:45
Especially not as the road to that hospital goes through the Shanghai traffic @maxdachris, @george, @ecwdanselby @jureo, maybe for next year they can look at having a better backup, but that’s not the work of a few hours, and safety remains important.
MaddMe (@)
7th April 2017, 17:32
Charlie Whiting actually said words to the effect of… The hospital is too far away for an ambulance to get to by road within the FIA required time limit…
MrBoerns (@mrboerns)
7th April 2017, 17:35
George, last time that rule was ignored was suzuka 2014. We all know how that turned out.
hahostolze (@hahostolze)
7th April 2017, 10:12
And even more pathetic, the race could be brought forward to Saturday. I don’t get it.
bogaaaa (@nosehair)
7th April 2017, 10:23
Tv rights
Anthony
7th April 2017, 10:44
It a worldwide event that has been organised for Sunday…..
pSynrg (@psynrg)
7th April 2017, 15:00
So they record it and broadcast it on Sunday.
Theoddkiwi (@theoddkiwi)
7th April 2017, 15:20
Yep and ask every one there to please please please don’t post anything on social media about it until after the rest of the world get to see the delayed coverage.
whitedog
7th April 2017, 15:21
So you would be happy if you had bought a ticket FOR SUNDAY AND THE RACE WAS SATURDAY
HK (@me4me)
7th April 2017, 11:09
There was a gokart track nearby. The TV helicopter was able to film it. Missed opportunity to do something fun.
Crom
7th April 2017, 11:27
Going karting nearby is a great idea! A fantastic contigency. Maybe that’s something along the “creative” lines Liberty should embrace, props to Hamilton
Richard (@rick1984)
7th April 2017, 11:15
If they can’t drive then send them out for a jog!! Fastest lap wins! The track is just over 5 km, should be easily doable for sports stars at the top of their field.
If its a really wet session do swimming or triathlon!!!!
The Last Pope (@the-last-pope)
7th April 2017, 17:28
+1That would be great lol. An F1 drivers bike race should be a thing on Fridays. Make each team be required to design and build their own cycle, no rules on the design(eg number of wheels). Fastest driver round the track gets a point on the F1 bike race table (like the current pit stop table that Williams keeps dominating) and at the end of the year the driver with the most gets a little trophy.
Richard (@rick1984)
7th April 2017, 18:25
@the-last-pope if its qualifying that gets rained off use it to set the grid!!!
Danny
7th April 2017, 12:58
Maybe the FIA could work with the race organizers to have a fully equipped “hospital” and staff onsite at the circuit as the contingency for these instances
Jeffrey (@jeffreyj)
7th April 2017, 15:19
That would more than double the cost of organizing a GP weekend and thus you’d pay around $500 for GA tickets $2000 for a regular stand and $25000 for a paddock pass, just to make sure we can race in case of bad wheather….
Nah man, F1 is an outdoor sport and sometimes wheather just happens. Refund the fans (claim the insurance) and get on with it.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
7th April 2017, 22:59
There is already a circuit medical centre which has to be capable of basic surgical procedures (in extreme situations), but having a fully-equipped hospital capable of treating the full range of injuries possible in motorsport to the standard required by the FIA would be the cost of… …well… …building a new hospital. They cannot be paid for out of pocket change, even if the assumption was that they be mini-hospitals that could only treat two dozen people simultaneously (i.e. the size of the F1 grid, in case of a more severe version of the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix start). No circuit organiser is going to pay for one of those, when best practise indicates that having a pre-existing one sufficiently close to the circuit is quite sufficient.
OmarRoncal - Go Seb!!! (@)
7th April 2017, 13:02
So better if next year the circuit owners build a high quality medical facility next to the track.
StefMeister (@stefmeister)
7th April 2017, 16:31
@omarr-pepper The circuit already has a high class medical facility just as every circuit is required to. The problem is that it’s not equipped & doesn’t have the staff/specialist’s to deal with things such as serious head trauma & more delicate medical operations/procedures that require the sort of specialist’s you only have in a hospital intensive care unit.
The medical center at the track is there to diagnose & deal with smaller injuries as well as to stabilize as best as possible before moving them to the fully equipped local hospital. It’s the same at every circuit around the world which is why they all have helicopters & road ambulances on standby.
The problem with trying to bring everything required to the track is that the equipment is expensive & if you bring the specialist doctors required to use some of the equipment & treat certain types of injury (Serious head trauma for instance) your taking them away from the dedicated hospital where there expertise is required far more.
Robert
7th April 2017, 13:06
If the weather makes conditions unsuitable to run the sessions there is nothing you can do about it, simply just refund the spectators like they do at Wimbledon when rain cancels play. The rest of the event should go ahead as scheduled, maybe with an increase in time for the third free practice session from 60 to 90 minutes and an increase in time for the first qualifying from 20 to 45 minutes would be acceptable.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
7th April 2017, 23:09
A combination of complexities in ticket pricing (Wimbledon sells tickets by the day, F1 does them in a combination of weekend, 2-day and 1-day tickets depending on the circuit), the fact that all ticket money goes to the organiser (giving Liberty no incentive to refund anyone), that F1 events mostly run at a loss even before refunds (meaning a washed-out session would mean no F1 at all at that track in future), the lack of such a thing as weather insurance for F1 tracks, inflexible tyre allocations, the fact that F1 is geared towards having support series in the spaces where the proposed practise session would go and their being accustomed to being the last session on each day means we’re unlikely ever to see this.
I like the idea, though!
Markp
7th April 2017, 13:18
No medical helicopter or helicopter not able to get to the hospital would stop any racing series. In terms of track action nothing could be done whether this was WEC, Moto Gp, Touring cars etc. It’s just one of thise things. With so little set up time now (cannoy really spend hours analysing FP3 data before quali) this could shale up the order for quali and the race.
Kgn11
7th April 2017, 18:11
Guess you forgot what happened at Suzuka in 2014.
Richard (@rick1984)
7th April 2017, 18:31
@kgn11 IIRC the rain at suzuka didn’t stop the heli flying, the hospital is really close and within the mandated time by ambulance and that’s why Jules went by ambulance. It takes a while to get a helicopter there, loaded and in the air. DTM a few years ago had to cancel the final part of qualifying in Russia as the airspace above got closed as Putin was flying somewhere
Dani Popescu (@daniboyf1)
7th April 2017, 13:59
Serious suggestion from Hamilton or not, F1 bosses should consider ways to improve the show. A walk down pit-lane in an orderly fashion? Maybe!
Just consider this: there are a few people that pay around 50 euros just for Friday! Maybe they’re on a trip and leave by Sunday, maybe the event is sold-out and they still want to see and hear the cars with their own eyes and ears. Just a few? No matter the answers, a considerate organizer should think of everything. And it’s not just about what you say to those few people, it’s the message you send out as a principle.
I would reimburse, at least partially, those people that bought Friday tickets. And yes, I would try to have a “recipe” prepared for future predicaments.
At the end of the day, F1ans ara a big part of F1. Isn’t that what we all want from Liberty Media? To please the fans?!
Baremans
7th April 2017, 15:08
It’s an outdoor SPORT that can be impacted heavily by weather conditions.
It’s up to the event organisers to decide if they will offer some form of compensation to the fans or not.
But Lyberty has to find a contingency plan to improve the show? Really?
I thought we were hoping they would make F1 a sport again and not merely entertainment?
And whether a driver goes out to meet the fans or not… I do think Hamilton has more liberty to do whatever he wants than other drivers. But he did set a very fine example today and I’m pretty sure that, should something similar happen again, other teams will send their drivers out to meet the crowds as well. It’s good marketing.
Dani Popescu (@daniboyf1)
7th April 2017, 15:59
I wasn’t excluding the better cars – better/ authentic racing part. You’re a fan, right? It’s about pleasing you as well. But we are seeing viewership drop, we are seeing open seats on race-day… OK, we can talk about where these races take place… but I don’t want to go into that. If the sport (& the show) is good, we should see full stands in… Cameroon! In Mongolia! Wherever. F1 doesn’t need just better racing. I think there is room for more in PR as well, in… customer service, if you will. We have new owners, we have Ross Brawn. And they need time. I just hope that this time next year I can say: Yes, it’s getting better! :)
digitalrurouni
7th April 2017, 16:27
Is it true that there was another event with Porsche race cars that still took place despite the helicopter not being able to land at the hospital? If that were indeed true then what those drivers don’t need to get airlifted when they get in a wreck?
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
7th April 2017, 23:47
Because the rules about medical helicopters are less strict with national events (which are bound by the national sporting authority’s regulations, and only some of them have similar “minimum times” than the FIA specifies for world-level events). However, had anyone needed that helicopter in the Porsche race, I’m sure F1 would have been hit by some of the backlash, simply for sharing a circuit and dictating the order of events.
JackySteeg (@jackysteeg)
7th April 2017, 16:44
The only thing more farcical than cancelling nearly a full day’s running because of weather conditions some 30kms away would be seeing a driver injuring himself and not being able to make it to a hospital. The safety standards are there for a reason. It’s unfortunate that it had to happen but there’s only one option when something like this happens.
Steven Robertson (@emu55)
7th April 2017, 17:08
I can’t recall other sports or events having to do this if bad weather effectively cancels the viewing. The crowd should just get a refund on their tickets or a discount on next years race. Trouble is Bernie squeezed every dollar out of track owners so that can’t actually afford to do it.
Tango (@tango)
7th April 2017, 23:02
Cricket ?
Ashwin (@redbullf1)
7th April 2017, 17:18
Meanwhile….
First picture,
Oooh Danny has his eyes on that (Monkey hoodie?) girl ? Love at first sight !
diesel
7th April 2017, 17:35
There should be no qualifying session. Last race results should be reversed on the starting grid on next race. It is boring to see the same players on the same positions all the time.
GT Racer (@gt-racer)
7th April 2017, 17:46
Just a note regarding the Porsche event that went ahead. That was a local category run by local organizers to different safety standards & procedures to what the FIA run to.
I was told that the Porsche organizers use a different hospital thats closer to the circuit but smaller & without many of the specialist facilities that the main Hospital the FIA use has. For example it apparently doesn’t have a specialist head trauma center which is something the FIA require there designated hospital to have.
Most, If not all hospital’s can deal with cuts & broken bones, But there are then those who have specialist departments for head trauma, Serious fractures, Burns & other specialist areas. And given the wide range of potential injuries a driver or indeed somebody at trackside or in the pits/paddock could pick up during an F1 event the FIA will always plan for an injured person to be taken to the hospital with the most specialist facilities.
It’s something that I gather came from Sid Watkins.
To be honest i’m quite surprised the Porsche event was allowed to go ahead as most of the categories I know of have similar standards to the FIA’s when it comes to medical facilities & what they expect to be available at whatever hospital they designate as there go-to.