GP2 Race director Charlie Whiting on Sunday made it clear that F1’s governing body is not happy with the Turkish GP organizers following the Bruno Senna stray dog incident during the GP2 support race to the Turkish Grand Prix. (Video available here)
The FIA delegate said the presence on the circuit of two stray dogs, one of which was struck at high speed by iSport International driver Bruno Senna and the other triggering the deployment of the safety car, was a clear breach of the sporting regulations.
“I have formally reminded the Clerk of the Course and the organiser of their responsibilities, and how seriously the FIA views this incident,” Whiting said in a statement.
He added that he ordered special checks on all circuit gates, internal access points and all other parts of the Istanbul Park circuit prior to the formula one race at 3pm.
“Finally, given the seriousness of the matter a formal report will be submitted to the FIA,” Whiting said.
Never one to take things very seriously, and especially when the only injuries (save for the unfortunate cur) were to Bruno’s Dallara suspension, I have to ask; Will the FIA[sco] take this matter as seriously as one would hope they take the Mosley Scandal?
Or will Max “The Littlest Perv” Mosley schedule another Extraordinary Meeting of the FIA[sco] Board sometime in the next millennium?
Will Mosley rally support from PETA and offer the FIA[sco] Board as “evidence” testimony from Mistress Switch claiming it was all a set-up by person or persons unknown?
Will Ron Dennis’ name be dragged into the Turkish Roadkill Scandal?
Will Korea offer it’s support to Mosley and Turkish GP organizers in the form of a menu selection of Spicy Road Kill Dog Soup to be sold as a concession at any potential F1 event held in the country?
These are all [semi]valid questions that demand answers.
Will we see them answered?
UPDATE: A spokesman for the FIA[sco] claims the organization hasn’t ruled out sanctions on the organizers of the Turkish GP: “This was a serious lapse in circuit security and safety,” an International Automobile Federation (FIA) spokesman said on Monday.
“How could such a thing happen at an almost brand new Formula One track?
“The FIA Safety Commission will hold a full investigation into the matter which may then be referred to the world council,” he added.
Tags: Auto Racing, Bruno Senna, FIA, Formula One, Heikki Kovalainen, Istanbul Park, Turkish Grand Prix
peterg wrote,
Charlie Whitting is going to write to the track regarding the stray dogs? “Hey Charlie! The track is owned by your old employer…Bernie”.
On a serious note, while Bruno Senna had every right to be furious about the incident, he could have been injured or even killed, he had no right to behave on track the way he did. The front suspension was totally bent & he was on the grass, to re- take the track & then tour back to the pits at a speed nowhere near what his fellow racers were travelling at was plain irresponsible. Instanbul is a very high speed track with many multiple, constant radius corners that from the cockpit can appear to be blind.Whether off the racing line or not he should not have attempted to return to the pits for his tantrum.Maybe the kid thinks that wearing a famous helmet entitles him to special treatment, I would slap him with a penalty right now, that car should have been parked, he could have been the cause of a second accident.
Link | May 12th, 2008 at 5:26 am
Rage-in-Chief wrote,
I thought the same thing Peter.
The car was in no condition to be repaired and that should have been obvious from the drivers seat. Guess he’s to good to walk or accept a ride back to the paddock with part of the safety team.
Link | May 12th, 2008 at 7:23 am
F1Wolf wrote,
the fact that Bernie owns this track is the best part of this “dog” show
disregarding this Senna’s accident I still wonder whether he is as good as people try to make us believe. I saw him racing last year in Macau and he was nothing more than average there. in GP2 (so far) I would rate him as better than average, but I do not see him to be F1 or F1 Champion material. I may be wrong and the future may prove me wrong, but at the moment I feel that if he is to make it to F1, we are in for Nelson Piquet Jr II …
Link | May 12th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Rage-in-Chief wrote,
Agreed Milo, from what little I’ve seen of Senna live I don’t think he’s lived up to the press clippings he’s getting.
Bruno’s worse enemy is both his name and the fact he won his first time out.
That gave the green light to all the scribes to overlook his weaknesses and write too many glowing reports of his progress.
Link | May 12th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
peterg wrote,
Ditto on the Senna opinions, average driver & the burden of the surname. Regarding Piquet jr (& I don’t have the time to go into the full story) I think he will be one of the great over-hyped “talents” that has gotten into F1 recently.
Link | May 13th, 2008 at 6:37 am