Crossing the white line: Singapore

A track-walking marshal, Ferrari’s failure to take the gamble and a missed opportunity.

Track-walking marshal Formula 1 may be looking into cockpit protection for the drivers but perhaps working radios for the marshals would be a better start.

The Safety Car, not even the Virtual Safety Car but the full-on wheels-on-the-track Safety Car, was brought out for Nico Hulkenberg’s accident at the start of Sunday’s 61-lap grand prix.

But as the race restarted with Rosberg leading the field across the line at racing speed, a marshal was still out on track.

He looked to be about in the middle of the track and, with Rosberg approaching, had to run for safety.

Who is to blame is the big question.

The FIA has began an investigation after being told three times by the clerk of the course that the track was clear.

It wasn’t.

“That was pretty hairy for sure,” stated Rosberg. “I think just as we didn’t expect the restart, he didn’t either, because the restart was somehow pretty abrupt. Luckily he got out of the way just about in time so it was okay, so of course we have to drive a bit carefully through there.”

In hindsight… At a time when Ferrari are running around the tracks win-less and with very little to cheer about, they had a great opportunity to put one over on Mercedes in Singapore if only they had been willing to gamble.

Kimi Raikkonen was running in third place in Sunday’s grand prix, doing everything right, even passing Lewis Hamilton out on track.

Running third and fourth with less than 20 …

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