Doriane Pin had a nearly perfect start to the F1 Academy 2024 season until a chequered flag blunder cost her dearly. As a result of the blunder, the Frenchwoman received a 20-second penalty that dropped her from the lead of the race to P9. Pin received the penalty as she ended up crossing the chequered flag twice due to a miscommunication with her Prema Racing team. Although some believed the penalty was too harsh for someone who had not put a foot wrong during the entire weekend, Will Buxton sees no other resolution as he described the incident as a “very big deal”.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the F1 expert wrote, “Some extreme reactions to this but it’s really not so easy to wave off the infraction. Regardless of mitigating circumstances, continuing at full race speed and crossing the line twice when circuit staff, marshals, and vehicles are likely to be on track really is a very big deal”.
The blunder did indeed cost Pin dearly as she is now third in the championship. Despite dominating the entire weekend, she finds herself 12 points behind championship leader Abbi Pulling and a point behind second-placed Maya Weug.
Although the penalty seems to have erased all of Doriane Pin and Prema Racing’s hard work during the weekend, it did seem like the right call. Buxton seems to provide a reasonable reason for why the stewards were right to penalize the Frenchwoman because of the dangerous incidents that have transpired previously on the race track.
2023 season witnessed two dangerous on-track moments in F1
Although the 2023 Australian Grand Prix was one of the most exciting races with plenty of safety car restarts and a total of eight retirements, what made the headlines was what transpired after the race. Several fans invaded the circuit while the cars were still moving at top speeds on the track.
As a result of the horrific incident, the FIA demanded an explanation from the Australian Grand Prix organizers. Consequently of how the events panned out last year, the Australian GP organizers have banned fans from entering the circuit during this year’s race.
However, the 2023 Australian GP was not the only time a nervy moment took place on the track. Just a few weeks after the race in Melbourne, another horrifying incident took place at the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
On that occasion, Esteban Ocon had come into the pits to make his mandatory pit stop. While he had his car under control while entering the pits, much to his surprise there were many media personnel blocking the entry of the pitlane.
As a result, the Frenchman had to take evasive action. Although everyone fortunately escaped unscathed, the incident once again raised alarm bells for the organizers of the different races.
Questions about incompetence were once again raised as the safety of everyone involved was massively endangered on this occasion. It is for the same reason that it was perhaps justified for Doriane Pin to receive the penalty despite the massive ramifications it had on her points tally.
