For all that F1 cars are in incredibly close quarters in the pit lane, with plenty of complaints about unsafe releases, it’s actually pretty rare to see an actual accident.
That’ll be a positive for Williams test and reserve driver Luke Browning if he ever makes it into the series full-time, because it means he’s unlikely to get a race wrecked like he did in Super Formula on Sunday.
Round 10 of the season was being held at the Fuji Speedway on Sunday, with about half of the 41-lap race distance complete when Browning and a number of other drivers pitted.
Nirei Fukuzumi, fourth in the championship, was completing a pit stop ahead of Browning’s group and pulled a few lengths out of his pit box as Browning attempted to pull into his own, directly in front of Fukuzumi’s.
The Japanese driver’s pit crew releasing him left Browning with no choice but to slam on the brakes in order to avoid smacking into the side of the Rookie Racing driver’s car.
Unfortunately for the Brit, there were two other cars in close attendance, who simply couldn’t react quickly enough to avoid creating a chain effect of bumper cars.
Syun Koide came straight out of his own pit box into the fast lane and was confronted with a suddenly stationary car, hitting Browning’s left rear corner to punt him at a 90 degree angle to the pit lane before Rikuto Kobayashi hit Koide from behind – wedging his nose underneath the car ahead.
The chaotic race, won by Racing Bulls test and reserve driver Ayumu Iwasa, featured three safety cars and eight retirements.
