Formula 1 Race Director Michael Masi says all kerbs installed at grands prix are “absolutely fit for use” in the wake of the injury sustained by Sean Gelael in Formula 2’s race in Spain.
Gelael suffered a vertebra fracture when he suffered a heavy landing after running over a kerb in the final sector of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya while battling against Jack Aitken.
Gelael was transferred to a nearby hospital in Granollers, where the small fracture was detected after an MRI scan, and released the same day.
He is expected to make a full recovery.
Gelael’s incident comes almost a year after Formula 3 driver Alex Peroni suffered a back injury when he was launched into the fence at Monza, having driven over the exit kerb at Parabolica; Peroni has since returned to the championship.
“They are absolutely fit for use and safe from an FIA perspective,” said Masi.
“Safety is something we’re obviously continually evaluating, circuit designs and solutions and so forth.
“This is no different to any other [situation in] that we’ll have a look at the details of the incident, together with our safety department, gathering the footage and the available data and then come to make, if there’s amendments required, then we’ll make those.”
Masi also went on to explain the FIA’s protocol after every grand prix.
“There is a review, I do a circuit inspection, a track condition report after each event of recommendations made for the following year’s event,” he said.
“You see from the circuit changes that occur year on year: some are quite public on TV and the F1 Group through graphics, and they have been showing some of those and some of them are pure safety features from an upgrade.
“Safety is something that never ends.”
Formula 1’s next event takes place at Spa-Francorchamps and Masi confirmed that the endurance pit lane wall has been “re-installed and realigned” but there is “nothing of note” outside of that change.
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