Drains and bumps cause FE crash: 'It can't be like that'
General
It was an unprecedented crash in Formula E. On the streets of Rome, Sam Bird crashed into the wall, after which a number of cars crashed full into the Briton's Jaguar after a blind turn. Among others, Sebastien Buemi and Edoardo Mortara hit Bird - who suffered no injuries from the huge impact - at high speed.
Afterwards, there was criticism of the deliberate section of the street circuit, for example from Bird. "There’s a lot of bumps to this corner and too many drains that are raised up," Bird said after a medical check", Bird said. "I hit a drain that was raised up at the wrong angle and it sent me into the wall. Scary crash. I’m glad everyone involved was OK. They need to adjust the drains and address the smoothness of that section, it’s too quick to have drains and bumps like that, which can send you into a wall at a moment’s notice. For me it’s too much. You can get round there, and most people get round there, but it just takes one tiny little error – it’s not even really an error. I don’t think they can change it ahead of tomorrow, but certainly for next year they need to think hard about completely redoing that area, really laying a nice smooth surface up the hill because it’s too hit and miss right now.”
Mortara could do nothing more
Edoardo Mortara could no longer avoid the transverse Bird and hit the Jaguar full in the side with his Maserati. "After a competitive performance in qualifying, I was really looking forward to the race, but unfortunately, it was over before it really began. The uphill section to Turn Six is completely blind, and by the time I saw Sam in the middle of the track, there was nothing I could do. I had no time to react, it was a hard impact, and I’m very happy that he’s ok," the Swiss driver commented.
They were big bangs, but James Rossiter, the Maserati team boss, however, also saw a positive: "Firstly, we’re incredibly thankful that Edo is ok after the incident in the race. The accident took place on one of the fastest parts of the circuit, and the fact that every driver involved emerged unscathed is a testament to the safety systems and procedures that Formula E and the FIA have in place."