FIA set to investigate marshal incident in Singapore GP - MotorSportsTalk

The FIA will investigate the incident during Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix that saw a marshal remain on-track when the race resumed at Marina Bay.

An early safety car period was called in Singapore following a crash for Nico Hulkenberg at the start, his Force India requiring removal by the marshals from the main straight.

Race control confirmed that green flag running would resume on lap three, with Nico Rosberg leading the field away.

However, TV footage showed a marshal running across the main straight just before the cars arrived at Turn 1, narrowly avoiding being caught out after getting out of the firing line.

According to a report from Autosport, the marshal was given the call to head out on-track after the circuit had been declared clear three times.

The FIA will now investigate the incident, saying it takes the matter “seriously” and that “everything will be done to ensure this does not happen again”.

Rosberg was asked about the incident after his winning for the eighth time this year in Singapore, admitting that the green flag call came as a surprise.

“That was pretty hairy, for sure,” Rosberg said.

“I think just as we didn’t expect the restart, he didn’t either, I think, because the restart was somehow pretty abrupt.

“But he got out of the way just about in time so it was OK. Of course we all had to drive a bit carefully through there.”

Follow @LukeSmithF1

An IndyCar executive said there is “absolutely” disappointment that its long-awaited video game recently was delayed beyond its target date, but the series remains optimistic about the new title.

“Well, I don’t know how quick it will be, but the whole situation is important to us,” Penske Entertainment president and CEO Mark Miles said during a news conference Monday morning to announce IndyCar’s NTT title sponsorship. “Motorsport Games has spent a lot of money, a lot of effort to create an IndyCar title. What we’ve seen of that effort, which is not completely obvious, is very reassuring.

“I think it’s going to be outstanding. That’s our shared objective, that when it is released, it’s just widely accepted. A great credit both to IndyCar racing, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, something that our fans love.”

In June 2021, IndyCar announced a new partnership with Motorsport Games to create and distribute an IndyCar video game for the PC and Xbox and PlayStation consoles in 2023.

But during an earnings call last week, Motorsport Games said the IndyCar game had been delayed to 2024 to ensure high quality.

Somewhat compounding the delay is that IndyCar’s license for iRacing expired after the end of the 2022 season because of its exclusive agreement with Motorsport Games.

That’s resulted in significant changes for IndyCar on iRacing, which had provided a high-profile way for the series to stay visible during its 2020 shutdown from the pandemic. (Players still can race an unbranded car but don’t race on current IndyCar tracks, nor can they stream).

That’s helped ratchet up the attention on having a video game outlet for IndyCar.

“I wish we had an IndyCar title 10 years ago,” said Miles, who has been working with the organization since 2013. “We’ve been close, but we’ve had these I think speed bumps.”

IndyCar is hopeful the Motorsports Game edition will be ready at the start of 2024. Miles hinted that beta versions could be unveiled to reporters ahead of the time “to begin to show the progress in a narrow way to make sure we’ve got it right, to test the progress so that we’re ready when they’re ready.”

It’s been nearly 18 years since the release of the most recent IndyCar video game for console or PC.

“(We) better get it right,” Miles said. “It’s something we’re very close to and continue to think about what it is to make sure we get it over the line in due course.”