European Grand Prix: F1 drivers raise safety fears in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku.. after £50m is spent
Jenson Button will speak to FIA chiefs about a lack of run-off areas on corners , a dangerous pit lane and lack of test runs
FORMULA ONE drivers have raised serious concerns about the European Grand Prix.
Jenson Button will talk to FIA chiefs today about a lack of run-off areas and a dangerous pit lane in Baku this weekend.
Organisers spent more than £50million to stage the race in Azerbaijan’s capital and have dumped loads of tarmac on the cobbled streets of this Unesco world heritage site.
But Button, a Grand Prix Drivers’ Association director, is shocked by the lack of safety measures.
The track has had NO test event or even had an F1 car run around it.
McLaren ace Button, set to meet FIA Race Director Charlie Whiting, said: “It is a concern for everyone if you have a brake failure.
“Turns three, seven and 14 — there is very little run-off. I was surprised to see that.
“The asphalt and everything is nice, the circuit looks nice but there is not enough run-off on those corners.
“Turn seven you have three barriers and then concrete. There’s no room for errors.
“I don’t want to be too negative but there is no getting away from safety and we need it in F1 cars.
“It is something we have pushed very hard for at every circuit we go to and then we come here and it’s not there.”
The race is expected to end around 7pm local time — by which time last night the light had faded.
With buildings towering over most of the circuit, visibility had badly decreased. Championship leader Nico Rosberg also said he was doubting the FIA’s decision to allow some of the corners.
The Mercedes racer, 30, said the cramped pit lane could result in a “massive accident”.
He said: “There is that corner, 14, where after a wall you go straight on.
“Turn three, and the pit entry as well, that’s not great.
“I really trust the FIA to get the job done. They have all the calculations and simulations. They know exactly the speeds.
“They are given rules how they have to make tracks. I’d hope that they stuck to them.
“I’m doubting it a little bit, looking at those corners.
“There’s a massive accident to be had — you could have a big one.”
Even Fernando Alonso, who trousered around £1million to promote the Baku GP, admitted tweaks are needed.
He said: “There are some corners that probably we will talk about and some others that we need to go in the car first and see how they feel.
“We saw in Singapore small modifications to some corners year after year until we found a good compromise.
“So I guess it’s going to be quite similar here. Next year maybe some tweaks can be done after we go in the car.”
But F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone reckons the course will eclipse last week’s Canada GP, won by Lewis Hamilton
He said: “We just left the greatest place in the world, North America.
“Compared to here it’s a bit of a s***hole, isn’t it? I think they’ve done a fantastic job.
“When I laid it out in the first place I was told I was mad — it looks like it’s worked all right.”