P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Shanghai F1 grass fire mystery remains; emergency team on standby
The FIA initiated a thorough investigation on Friday night following two separate fires in the same area of grass inside Turn 7 causing disruptions on the opening day of track action. The first practice for the Chinese Grand Prix had to be red-flagged due to a blaze, and later during sprint qualifying the same section caught fire at the session’s end. Despite no red flag in the second instance, a delay in SQ2’s start was caused. The FIA analyzed the situation on Friday evening to determine the root cause, with speculations of flying sparks from F1 cars igniting the fires. There is uncertainty around the reason for the excessive burning, as no flammable material has been found on the grass surface. The fires potentially being fueled by methane gas from the swamp on which the Shanghai circuit is built has been considered, alongside the possibility of cracked pipes underground. Even after inspections, no concrete evidence of gas presence has been identified, deepening the mystery. While the cause remains unknown, preventive measures have been taken to address potential future incidents, such as watering the affected grass areas and ensuring an emergency fire response team is readily available at Turn 7.
