The mechanic injured during last weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix has been discharged from hospital and is recuperating at home in his native Italy.
Francesco Cigarini sustained a double fracture to his left leg when he was struck by Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari during the Finn’s second pit stop.
Cigarini was taken to a nearby hospital and his Team Principal Maurizio Arrivabene confirmed on Friday that his employee was recovering well.
“The first comment is that he’s back in Italy, he’s at home and he’s OK,” said Arrivabene.
“I would like to thank our doctor, our team doctor, the medical staff of the FIA and also the authorities in Bahrain, they immediately granted to us the best doctors in Bahrain to do the surgery and they were assisting us 24 hours (a day) literally, so thanks to all of them.”
Cigarini was the wheel-on mechanic and was struck because he was still in position, with the crew having been able to remove the tyre as planned.
Arrivabene explained that the electronic system Ferrari has in place did not correctly read the failure, and that a fix has been put in place to avoid a repeat.
“We went through all the procedure,” said Arrivabene.
“We have a procedure to ensure that the pit stops during the race are done in the most safe mode. In this case we have three factor – one involves human control, the other involves mechanical, the other involves electronic device.
“What’s happening there is we have a mishandling of the rear left. It was not perfectly read by the electronic device that gives the green light.
“We went through all the procedure together with the FIA, making sure that this thing doesn't happen again, and it’s in our interest, because we care about our people, before anything else.”
