Franz Tost : Recovery vehicles used in F1 are big problem

According to Toro Rosso group manager Franz Tost, the issue of recovery vehicles are still a major problem in Formula One as the game keeps on thinking about the drastic demise of French driver Jules Bianchi. The main issue is related to safety problems related to broken suspension and many more.

The first Formula One racer death was late back in the year 1994 since then Jules Bianchi crash last year, following a long period of immense safety improvements. Tost also said that the kind of recovery vehicle that Bianchi hit at Suzuka a year ago remains a threat that has not been tended to.

Tost told Auto Bild, “The recovery vehicles themselves are still a problem. Virtual safety car or not, if a car has a broken suspension or even a puncture, it can still go off.”

“And with these vehicles and their height, there is always the risk of serious injuries if a car goes underneath — even at lower speeds. I have said with Michael Schumacher in 1994 that these things are dangerous and that they should be better protected,” he added.

“You would need a guardrail around the vehicle so that a formula one car cannot slip underneath it. Only in this way can we prevent serious head injuries like that.”

Manor driver Roberto Merhi said: “I was in Hungary with the [Formula Renault 3.5] World Series [in June] and a car crashed in the fastest corner.

“A tractor came out to get the car and when I saw the situation and the yellow flag I immediately drove slower. In the past, I might not have gone off the throttle,” he added.