Joel Embiid Misses the Thrill of ‘Safety Car’, Demands F1 to “Turn It Back On”

The Singapore Grand Prix has made a historic decision this year by not deploying any safety cars in the race. Understandably, fans have had an issue with it because the move could potentially put the drivers in danger.

A safety car in F1 is a high-performance car that’s used to slow down the field of cars in case of an accident or any other dangerous situation on the track. The Singapore track is infamous for its crashes and not having a safety car is not a good look for the F1 race.

After learning about the decision, Joel Embiid took to X to express his disagreement with it. The NBA star asked the Formula 1 authorities to ensure that the safety car is restored for the race. He wrote, “I guess y’all turned the safety car setting off @F1…… Turn it back on.”

It’s worth noting that in addition to the Singapore GP, there have been nine consecutive races where a safety car wasn’t deployed this season. For the Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2024 in Baku, there was a virtual safety car that was used when Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz crashed during the race.

Their crash happened during the penultimate lap. Sainz took the lead over Perez initially but as the 34-year-old was attempting to sneak past him, their cars tangled and slammed into the barrier.

This brought their run to an abrupt and unfortunate end. A virtual safety car was appointed afterwards. Keeping these safety situations in mind, Embiid wants F1 to be more cautious.

Joel Embiid is a hardcore Formula 1 fan

Embiid follows the F1 seasons like any other die-hard fan of the sport. The 76ers star stays active on social media and provides commentary on the things that happen on the circuit.

When the season started on March 2nd, 2024, the 2023 NBA MVP tweeted, “FORMULA ONE IS BACK.” His commentary is not limited to things that happen on the track as Embiid also gives his predictions on certain drivers. Last week, he posted, “Oscar Piastri is a future world champion.”

He expresses his disappointments and joy about the races like any hardcore F1 fan does. So, considering his influence, maybe the F1 authorities will look into his demand for safety cars once the post reaches them.