P1racenews AI automatic summary:
In Tokyo, Jake Dennis became only the second Formula E driver to be black-flagged from a race. His Andretti team doesn’t really understand why
The Andretti Formula E team believes they were unfairly denied a potential runner-up finish in the first race of the Tokyo E-Prix weekend due to Jake Dennis being penalized for a pitlane infraction, receiving a rare black flag that ended his race.
Dennis decided to pit for the mandatory Pit Boost energy stop just as the race was about to restart after a red-flag period. Despite the FIA confirming the pitlane was open, Dennis was retired from the race for an illegal pitlane entry, which the team believed was fair game.
The black flag was issued under Article 23.16 of the sporting regulations, citing safety reasons for closing the pit entry during the race. The team obtained an official timeline of race direction communications showing conflicting messages regarding the pit entry status.
The Andretti team maintains they were unaware of a red light at the pitlane entry indicating closure, as there was no clear status communicated to them. They believed the pit entry was open based on the messages received from race control.
The team’s understanding was that once all cars had passed a specific point, the pit exit would open, allowing Dennis to leave. However, the confusion and miscommunication ultimately led to Dennis entering the closed pitlane, ending his race prematurely.
