The first edition of Formula 2 in Miami culminated in an exciting triumph for Gabriele Mini, who took victory in the main race, followed by Dino Beganovic and Rafael Camara. However, the infringements committed during the race sparked a debate over the validity of the results.
The controversy originated from the first intervention of the safety car, when the drivers were ordered to follow it into the pits. Mini entered the pit area after passing the bollard indicating the entrance, while Camara missed the stop and continued down the main straight behind what was then the race leader, Kush Maini. Despite the investigation, both drivers avoided penalties.
The race stewards confirmed that the teams had been informed at turn 17 about the order to enter the pits. The communication coincided with the status of the signaling lights, indicating the change. Additionally, the stewards noted that Maini was about 50 meters from these lights at the time of the warning.
Camara explained that he received the order too late, after passing the entrance to the pits, which caused confusion regarding his rivals’ actions. Meanwhile, Stenshorne, who was in second position, entered the pit area to serve a penalty for speeding.
The stewards decided to warn Camara, arguing that “not a single driver benefited or was harmed” by his action. The track conditions were really challenging, with very reduced visibility, and therefore, the drivers received information at different times, complicating a proper follow-up of the orders.
In Mini’s case, although he initially avoided entering, he received the order to enter the pit area but made the mistake of passing the bollard. Mini detailed that his decision not to stop suddenly was based on a safety issue. “I let myself be guided by the instruction they gave me just before making the move,” he commented.
The stewards also pointed out that, although Mini had contravened the regulations, their priority was safety, and the result did not benefit or harm any of the drivers. In the end, the decision of the stewards reflected that the situation was poorly managed, with orders that should have arrived earlier and with more clarity to avoid chaos on the track, especially in adverse visibility conditions.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
SourceID: SRC_7851ca475552961b3a37168c76182b08414cb95b