Should the Italian GP have finished behind the Safety Car? · RaceFans

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The Italian Grand Prix was won by Max Verstappen as the final six laps of the race were completed under Safety Car conditions.

The race was neutralised after Daniel Ricciardo pulled off to the inside of the track between the two Lesmo corners on lap 47, prompting local yellow flags. When it became clear his McLaren could not be wheeled away, and a vehicle was needed to move it off the track, the Safety Car was deployed by FIA race director Niels Wittich on lap 48.

All drivers in the top four positions pitted for soft tyres under the Safety Car at the end of lap 48, retaining their places. George Russell emerged from the pit lane and was behind the Safety Car, despite being in third place. Russell was told he could pass the Safety Car, but did not have the green light to do so and remained behind. He stayed behind the Safety Car for almost three laps.

On lap 51 – with less than three laps remaining – Ricciardo’s McLaren was still in the process of being cleared by a crane driven out onto the circuit. After passing the recovery vehicle, the race director allowed lapped cars to overtake the Safety Car, which moved Verstappen to the front of the queue. However, there remained two lapped cars – Valtteri Bottas and Yuki Tsunoda – between the leader and the Charles Leclerc in second place.

As the leaders passed through the Lesmos behind the Safety Car on lap 52 – the penultimate lap – Ricciardo’s car had now been cleared off the track. The pack of ten cars between Russell in third to Mick Schumacher in 12th were around half a lap from catching the back of the queue. However, at that time, teams were informed that the race would not restart for the final racing lap.

The Safety Car completed the 53rd and final lap before pulling into the pit lane as per procedure, with Verstappen crossing the finish line under Safety Car conditions to take the chequered flag.

The decision to end the race behind the Safety Car was criticised by multiple teams. Despite his driver winning the race, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told Sky that there had been “more than enough time” to have resumed the race before the final lap. Leclerc also protested the decision in the cockpit of his Ferrari, labelling the call as “a joke”.

“Yeah, it’s a joke. It’s a joke. It’s a big joke,” Leclerc said over team radio. “Look, the track was cleared, come on. We are…