Alpine Sporting Director Alan Permane believes any fix from the FIA to avoid the frightening scenes at the end of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix will not be “rocket science”. Esteban Ocon started on a set of hard tyres from the pit lane and drove as far as he could under F1’s regulations before switching at the beginning of his final lap. But with race-winner Sergio Perez so far ahead of Ocon – without lapping the Frenchman – and having started his final lap, FIA personnel began to construct the parc fermé holding area underneath the podium at the entry to the pits. Photographers were also allowed to gather around in anticipation of Perez arriving on the scene, unaware of Ocon’s impending stop. The crowd gathered in the pit lane were sent scattering as the Alpine approached, though all escaped in time to avoid what Ocon believes could have been a “major incident” . Speaking to media including RacingNews365.com , Permane explained: “It is something we have seen before. There is a keenness… I don’t know why but photographers are allowed – I understand people want to get the shots of cars coming into parc fermé – but the race track is still live. “I don’t think it is rocket science to fix that.” The FIA will work towards a fix ahead of next weekend’s Miami Grand Prix after being summoned to a hearing with the Baku race stewards. Insisting Ocon would have been in full control of the situation, Permane said: “Rob, our Chief Mechanic, came on the intercom to say there was people in the pit lane and Esteban, at that point, is going 80kph, don’t forget so he could stop the car pretty quickly if he needed to. “So whilst it was quite scary to look at, I suspect he was in full control and no one was in serious danger. “It was a bit like a scene from the Group B rallying days with the crowd parting as he got there.”
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