Ferrari review pitstop procedures after mechanic injury

[April 13, 2018]    By Abhishek Tackle
 
 SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Ferrari have reviewed their pitstop procedures after an incident at the Bahrain Grand Prix left a mechanic with a broken leg, team principal Maurizio Arrivabene said on Friday.

 Formula One F1 - Australian Grand Prix - Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia - March 25, 2018 Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen makes a pitstop during the race Saeed Khan/Pool via Reuters

Francesco Cigarini suffered a fractured shinbone and fibula on his left leg after being struck during a botched pitstop when Kimi Raikkonen was given the signal to go before the left rear tire had been replaced.

The governing FIA later fined Ferrari 50,000 euros ($61,610) for the incident.

"We have done our review, together with the FIA, I have to say, because they are caring about safety as we are caring about safety,” the Italian told reporters at Shanghai International Circuit ahead of Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix.

“We went through all the procedure ... and making sure that this thing doesn’t happen again.

“In this case, we have three factors - one involves human control, the other involves mechanical and the other involves (an) electronic device,” said Arrivabene explaining what went wrong.

“What’s happened there, we had a mishandling of the rear left, was not perfectly read by the electronic device that gives the green light.”

After having surgery in Bahrain, Cigarini had returned home, Arrivabene said.

“Of course, as team principal, I’m in contact with him,” he said. “He’s back to Italy, he’s at home and he’s okay.”

(Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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