Formula One news

Ferrari to investigate pitstop incident

The Ferrari Formula 1 team will start an investigation how the pitstop drama during the Singapore Grand Prix could have happened. When Felipe Massa was receiving fuel the light of Ferrari's electronic system turned Green causing Massa to step on it and taking the fuel hose with him.

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali explained: "unfortunately there was a mistake. We were not using the electronic system, it was run manually. When there are a lot of cars coming into the pit in a safety car situation, it is better to have (the system working) like a lollipop but instead of a lollipop you control the green light and unfortunately there was a mistake."

Asked whether the team will stick to this system for the remainder of the season, Domenicali said "we will analyse what we did in the other pit stops. It was a tense moment, again a guy was knocked down. He's OK, no problem at all, but it's a very tense moment, so we preferred not to use it for the other pit stops because we wanted to give a sign of less tension. It's a system that is trying to give as good a performance as possible.

"At that moment you have to consider that there were so many cars coming in and of course, you try to be quick, you try to find the right slot in order for the car to be released, so it was a difficult moment. I don't think a lot of people would want to wear the overalls of the guy who has to manage the pit stop. We have to have a lot of respect for these guys. They are not top drivers but part of the team. It is very difficult and they have a lot of pressure."

There was no question that he would lose his job. "We win together, we lose together and in that respect the philosophy will not change because of one unfortunate mistake. He felt very bad of course, as you can imagine. Felipe went to see him straight away, and he said, OK guy, look ahead. As I said, we're always together."

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