FIA "relieved" with red-flag absence at Zandvoort

Dutch Grand Prix

FIA "relieved" with red-flag absence at Zandvoort

For the first time since Austria a race was not suspended

Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale

Tuesday 7 September 2021 14:35

FIA race director Michael Masi has expressed relief the Dutch Grand Prix saw no safety car or red flag interventions.

Despite six red flags from FP1 through to the end of qualifying on F1's return to Zandvoort after 36 years, there was no stoppage to the race as Max Verstappen coasted to victory on Sunday.

It was the first time a race had run without a red flag since the Austrian Grand Prix and Masi said: "I was relieved [laughs]. It was one of those races... we all needed a settling race.

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"That's what it was and it was great to not have any of that. It was a fantastic spectacle as it was and showcased F1 fantastically.

"I think if we all look at that as an event, we can all agree that crowd enthusiasm and everything else, it was great and as a sport, we should be proud of having an event like this."

FIA to assess gravel at each circuit on "merit"

One of the big talking points of the weekend at Zandvoort was the lack of concrete run-off, with drivers punished for any mistakes and track limits were given an event off.

With drivers raving over the gravel traps in use, Masi insisted: "I think we have said that a number of times at many events that we will look at each corner, each circuit on its merit.

"One of the things [at Zandvoort] a lot of people tend to forget is that all of this planning was done in 2019, with the changes that needed to be done here.

"It is just that we didn't see them in realisation until now due to the impacts of the pandemic that has been before us that we have all had to work with.

"We will continue to work on those solutions with each and every promoter, but it is not an overnight solution."