Breaking news
Formula 1 Spanish GP
Closing speeds to be discussed after Magnussen/Ocon incident
Formula 1 drivers are set discuss concerns about the closing speeds between cars on hot laps and slow laps following the incident involving Kevin Magnussen and Esteban Ocon in Spain.
Luke Smith
Published: Aug 18, 2020, 10:59 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Ocon crashed into the wall towards the end of final practice for the Spanish Grand Prix after taking evasive action to avoid a slow-moving Magnussen between Turn 3 and Turn 4.
Magnussen was on a slow lap in a bid to cool his tyres, while Ocon was trying to get his tyres up to temperature after exiting the pits, explaining the speed difference.
Both the drivers and the stewards put it down as an “unfortunate” accident, with no action being taken.
But there was a repeat of cars going slowly on-track through qualifying in Barcelona as drivers tried to cool their tyres, causing them to bunch in the final sector before starting their flying laps.
“It's not really acceptable to have a queue of cars,” Ocon said. “If there is someone coming up at race speed, it can be dangerous. This has been the trend.
“In hot conditions, we are a minute slower in a cool-down lap or to prep the lap. It's very, very slow.
“We would need to limit [the minimum time]. To start my last lap, I was basically clutch in and I stopped. I was literally doing zero kph in the middle of the line. It's very, very extreme nowadays.”
Grand Prix Drivers’ Association director Romain Grosjean said the matter would be discussed at the next drivers’ briefing, admitting there were safety concerns about the closing speed difference between cars on push laps and cool laps.
“It was raised at the drivers’ briefing at Silverstone. I think it will be raised again,” Grosjean said.
“We can go faster, but we’re just not going to do another fast lap.
“Yes, it’s a safety matter. I’ll tell you one thing, you don’t feel confident at all driving so slow whilst cars are coming so fast.
“There are places where the mirrors, they’re only good enough. The radio communication, we try to do our best.
“But when the delta speed is about 1m15s per lap as it was at Silverstone, [and] having 45 seconds here, it’s just too big.”
Read Also:
- Ricciardo hopes Spain was “a one-off” as Renault failed to score
- Perez, Kvyat blue flag penalties part of new crackdown
Grosjean explained that the fluctuating temperatures of the Pirelli tyres forced the drivers to go so slow in order to prepare for another push lap.
“We have got to lose about 30 degrees in one lap,” Grosjean said.
“To lose 30 degrees, you need to go as slow as you can, spend as much time as you can, and just not generate any load on the tyres.
“We’ve mentioned a few times, something will happen one day. This morning we saw a bit of a hairy moment. Luckily it wasn’t too high speed. It doesn’t feel right.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Red Bull has "a lot of belief" in Albon despite his struggles
Next article McLaren becomes first F1 team to sign Concorde Agreement
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Luke Smith
1998 Belgian GP: When the Schumachers went to war
Formula 1
Formula 1 Jul 22, 2025
1998 Belgian GP: When the Schumachers went to war
The race that transformed perceptions of Red Bull
Formula 1
Formula 1 Apr 19, 2023
The race that transformed perceptions of Red Bull
Hamilton in the process of selecting Brad Pitt’s co-star for F1 movie
Formula 1
Formula 1 Feb 18, 2023
Hamilton in the process of selecting Brad Pitt’s co-star for F1 movie
More from
Kevin Magnussen
Title battles and bittersweet farewells headline packed 54-car Petit Le Mans grid
IMSA
IMSA
Petit Le Mans
1 mo
Title battles and bittersweet farewells headline packed 54-car Petit Le Mans grid
Kevin Magnussen vs. Noah Gragson NASCAR feud: A lap-by-lap breakdown
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
San Diego
4 mo
Kevin Magnussen vs. Noah Gragson NASCAR feud: A lap-by-lap breakdown
Kevin Magnussen's NASCAR debut is part of post-F1 'open mind' to global motorsports
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
San Diego
4 mo
Kevin Magnussen's NASCAR debut is part of post-F1 'open mind' to global motorsports
Latest news
Sebastien Bourdais hopes latest WEC success will remind teams of his value
WEC
WEC WEC
Monza
1 h
Sebastien Bourdais hopes latest WEC success will remind teams of his value
"It's horribly painful" - Williams drops 2026 car upgrades to benefit 2027
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
2 h
"It's horribly painful" - Williams drops 2026 car upgrades to benefit 2027
Iker Lecuona felt significant differences between Ducati's GP25 and GP26
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
3 h
Iker Lecuona felt significant differences between Ducati's GP25 and GP26
Feature
Discover prime content
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Formula 1
By Kevin Turner
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe