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“F1 Continues to Learn Nothing From Bianchi”: Fans Left in Horror After Lando Norris Has a Close Brush With a Truck on Track

Aishwary Gaonkar
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Recovery Truck at 2025 Australian GP (L) and Lando Norris' MCL39 (R)

The 2025 season opener in Australia turned out to be a chaotic classic. Rain spiced up the race, with almost all the rookies — and some veterans — crashing out due to the slippery track surface. However, a scary moment amidst the drama brought back some rather unpleasant memories for the F1 community.

When Fernando Alonso crashed on lap 35 of the Australian GP, race control called out a full safety car to neutralize the race, as the rain intensified and most of the field was on slick tires. But while trying to ensure the drivers’ safety, officials made the mistake of allowing a recovery truck onto the track.

While the decision was made to clear Alonso‘s damaged AMR25 and get the race back underway as soon as possible, it inadvertently created a potential safety hazard for race leader Lando Norris, who was in a precarious position behind.

Eleven years ago, Jules Bianchi suffered a tragic accident under similar circumstances. At the Japanese GP, he lost control of his car in wet conditions and crashed into a recovery crane, sustaining injuries that ultimately took his life nine months later. So, it’s only natural that fans and experts pointed this out on social media.

“F1 continues to learn nothing from Bianchi” one fan stated on X (formerly Twitter).

F1 journalist Jennie Gow joined the conversation by saying, “Hate seeing a recovery truck like that on track.”

A user replied to her post, questioning how F1 continued to tread the same line of danger even a decade after Bianchi’s death. “Genuinely, I don’t get it. Absolutely ridiculous. I thought we were far past this after Bianchi, but apparently not.”

Many feared that with the track being quite damp, any error from Norris — such as dipping a wheel onto the wet surface — could have induced a spin with potentially catastrophic consequences. Ideally, the recovery vehicle should not be near the train of cars, even during the safety car period.

Some also felt that the race should have been red-flagged completely, given the severity of Alonso’s shunt and the debris scattered across the track. But for those unaware, this wasn’t the first time F1’s race control had displayed a tendency for delayed decision-making.

Pierre Gasly’s Suzuka 2022 incident

Suzuka is no stranger to treacherous conditions. In 2022, heavy rain forced race control to call a red flag. Although half the race had been completed, the track remained waterlogged, making it difficult for drivers to navigate safely.

On his way back to the pits, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly came across a recovery tractor on the track — a sight that left him furious. The Frenchman was driving at substantial speed in torrential rain, and the thought of making contact with the tractor was terrifying, especially given what had happened to Bianchi at the very same circuit.

“I could have killed myself. There’s a f****** tractor, I’m driving flat out,” he exclaimed on the team radio.

The FIA acknowledged their mistake but also reminded Gasly that he was overspeeding. However, many in the F1 community criticized the governing body for neglecting driver safety — and after what happened in Melbourne today, those concerns remain just as valid.

Post Edited By:Somin Bhattacharjee

About the author

Aishwary Gaonkar

Aishwary Gaonkar

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Aishwary Gaonkar is the F1 Editor at The SportsRush. Having written over 1500 articles about different aspects of the sport, Aishwary passionately likes to dive deep into the intricacies of the on-track events. He has been an avid F1 fan since the 2011 season, amid Sebastian Vettel's dominance. Besides the 4-time champion, he also likes Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen. Among the current drivers, he thinks Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri have championship-winning caliber. His favorite F1 moment is watching Vettel win the championship in 2012 at the Brazil finale. Longing for a Ferrari world championship, Aishwary is also a fan of Aston Martin's underdog story and their bid to win the F1 championship. Other than F1, he follows tennis and cricket too.

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