Fury as F1 'safety device' traps driver in burning car

The F1 world is in shock after a controversial new safety feature on cars meant a future teammate of Daniel Ricciardo was unable to escape a blazing car.

Nico Hulkenberg was involved in a spectacular crash on the opening lap of the final grand prix in Abu Dhabi but fortunately was finally able to walk away from the incident unscathed.

Hulkenberg was trapped as his Renault caught on fire during the dramatic crash which saw the safety car deployed early on.

The German’s car somersaulted through the air one and a half times before landing the wrong way up after he made contact with the Haas of Romain Grosjean through the right-handed turn nine.

“I am very sorry for him, but there was nowhere I could go,” Grosjean said to his team.

F1’s mandatory and controversial ‘halo’ device – the three-pronged safety design introduced to the sport for this year – meant Hulkenberg could not slide out of his car.

“Get me out,” Hulkenberg yelled over the radio. “There is fire. There is fire.”

The flames went out before track marshals hastily arrived on the scene.

Sam Smith, the British popstar standing with Spice Girl Geri Horner in the Red Bull garage, watched on open-mouthed as Hulkenberg was belted into his car for more than three minutes.

F1 fans erupted on social media after seeing the driver helplessly trapped in the car as a result of the ‘halo’ feature.

However FIA (The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) race director Charlie Whiting refuted those claims saying the halo did not compromise Hulkenberg’s safety.

“Quite clearly that’s one of the sort of accidents the halo was designed to help with,” Whiting told Motorsport.com.

“It provides more space for the driver once the car is upside down. That was one of the things we wanted to make sure was still possible (during the prove-out phase for the halo).

“When you have an accident like that the radio from the car is automatically routed to race control so we get immediate information.

“Drivers normally say ‘I’m OK’ or ‘I’m fine,’ and we relay that to the doctors on their way to the scene. Then they can take their time to get the car righted and let him get out.”

Some weren’t convinced by Whiting’s explanation.

Hulkenberg’s car was eventually turned over, and he was assisted out of his cockpit, seemingly without injury.

The incident held up the race for a few laps, with drivers forced to slow down behind a safety car, until the race resumed on Lap 5.

World champion Lewis Hamilton finished the season with a pole to flag victory and in doing so equalled his personal best for a season with his 11th win of the campaign.

Hamilton beat Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel at the Yas Marina circuit to secure the 73rd win of his career.

“I wanted to finish on a high. The team has done an exceptional job all year,” said Hamilton, who stripped down to the waist on the podium and pointed to a tattoo on his back.

It was a symbolic finish to a season where, again, Hamilton showed his superiority under pressure to beat Vettel into second place overall for the second straight year.

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen finished third in the race ahead of team-mate Daniel Ricciardo for a fifth straight podium.

With The Telegraph