Only two Alfa Romeo mechanics climbed over the pit wall after the aborted start, with everyone else waiting due to a broken LED display
Two lone Alfa Romeo mechanics had ventured back onto the grid after the aborted second start to the 2023 Monza Formula One race, with everyone else waiting patiently in the pit lane for the go-ahead from race control, but it did not come due to a broken LED display.
The race on Sunday had started with a clear delay. The reason was Yuki Tsunoda, who had rolled out with his AlphaTauri shortly before the Parabolica on the opening lap – presumably with a problem with the MGU-H.
After Tsunoda’s retirement, the other drivers gathered on the grid as they normally would for a standing start, but the lights signalled that the start was aborted and the remaining 19 drivers headed out for a second warm-up lap.
But even after the second warm-up lap, the start could not be cleared because the AlphaTauri could not be recovered quickly enough. This time, however, the cars were kept on the grid for a long time without any information. Information was only given to the drivers by their engineers via radio.
Due to the delay again, the teams had to send their mechanics back to the cars to cool down the engines and brakes and to put the heating blankets on the starting tyres.
Yuki started his formation lap in a racing car, he finishes it in a recovery truck ItalianGP F1 pic. twitter.com/XRYcMY0Uyv
– Formula 1 (@F1) September 3, 2023
However, the FIA timing screen did not indicate that the second start would be aborted. Instead, the officials informed the teams via their radio channels and the world public via the media communication groups.
And because the LED display did not indicate the second start was aborted, mechanics were not quickly allowed through the pit lane entrance into the grid as security personnel hesitated to open the gates without checking that the correct protocol had been followed.
Understandably, it was felt that it was better to open the gates too late than too early, because if something had gone wrong, the cars could have gone near people who would have entered a track that was still active in doubt.
However, two Alfa Romeo mechanics were so impatient that they climbed over the pit wall and tried to reach their cars before waiting for the others to be let onto the grid, which soon happened.
As soon as the gate was opened and the mechanics streamed back onto the grid, the start procedure was reset and initiated with a typical five-minute warning.
