George Russell has called for Formula 1 to introduce an automatic safety car system after he was left fearing for his life during the Australian Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver crashed out of the race late on while chasing Fernando Alonso, losing control and smashing into a wall before coming to rest on its side in the middle of the track.
In a harrowing radio message, Russell begged for a red flag, terrified that he was a sitting duck on the exit of a high-speed corner with limited visibility. The race was not stopped, and it took several seconds for the virtual safety car system to activate. By then, Lance Stroll had already passed the stricken car, narrowly avoiding a collision thanks to a warning from his race engineer.
Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, described the situation as 'an incredibly uncomfortable position to be in'. He said: 'You're on a blind bend, [where cars approach at] 250 kilometres per hour, right on the racing line with the car half upside down, waiting for disaster to happen.' He noted that a 10-second gap behind him prevented a potential tragedy, but warned that on the first lap, multiple cars could have been involved.
The Briton drew parallels to fatal accidents in Formula 2 and FRECA, where drivers were killed after being hit at high speed while stranded on track. He urged F1 to use available technology to implement an automated VSC that activates within half a second when a car is in a danger zone. 'Lives are at risk,' he stressed.
The corner where Russell crashed may undergo safety changes following the incident. Several drivers, including Daniel Ricciardo, have called for improvements, describing the corner as 'amazing' but conceding that 'the safety of it is bad'.
