Could have killed myself: F1 driver after narrowly missing tractor on the track of Japanese Grand Prix

In the Japanese Grand Prix, F1 driver Pierre Gasly almost killed himself as he crash into the back of the tractor which was on the racetrack. It was raining heavily at the Suzuka Circuit. The crane tractor was on the track to pick up a damaged vehicle which is a standard procedure but as it was a horrendous downpour Gasly could not see clearly. With the rain pelting down at Suzuka and drivers skidding out at high speeds, the decision to keep the tractor on track while drivers continue going around the circuit at Suzuka was baffling. Gasly came frighteningly close to hitting the tractor.

“I could have f***ing killed myself,” Gasly said on the team radio “What is this? What is this tractor on track?! I passed next to it. This unacceptable. Remember what has happened. Can’t believe this.”

Here's how Twitter reacted to the unfortunate accident -

If you're wondering why he's pissed, this is why.

Absolutely unbelievable. Keep in mind the visibility range. & that's the racing line. pic.twitter.com/xiDO8J8Sl4 — CYMotorsport (@CYMotorsport) October 9, 2022

Daniel's angle of the tractor on track - no warning of it being there pic.twitter.com/MQwDxuqPBd — meredith (@mereeedithh) October 9, 2022

Just seen the Gasly/tractor incident. Outrageous. I still remember 2014, tractors and live tracks. #JB17 — Ben Hunt (@benjhunt) October 9, 2022

Just watched onboards with Gasly. Right to be furious. Recovery vehicle bang on the racing line in zero visibility. Unforgivable. — Will Buxton (@wbuxtonofficial) October 9, 2022

Unforgivable. Pierre Gasly right to be absolutely furious and the complete lack of any acknowledgement about this on @SkySportsF1 is a concern

A very serious and worrying incident #JapaneseGP https://t.co/jpriFmnIZH — Jack de Menezes (@JackdeMenezes) October 9, 2022

Sunday's F1 race was red-flagged...

"All other cars in the field who were on track also passed the tractor, but they were going at considerably slower speeds behind the safety car." — Laura Apollo (@lauraapollo) October 9, 2022

Race has been red flagged (suspended)...but the marshals (people who do track safety) moved a crane/ tractor onto a live racetrack. They killed a driver at Shizuka doing that in the past. Completely unacceptable — _ StevenSensei _ (@StevenSenseiHS) October 9, 2022

Imagine waking up to go to bathroom and reading tweets about a tractor on the track at the @f1 race. Sounds like someone at race control went to the bathroom too. Language cleaned up because I'm a lady. — Betty Koulos (@BettyKoulos) October 9, 2022

Just got back to my office (also a couch with a table next to it).

F1 race delayed further for rain. Know that the three-hour race clock has been started but absolutely despise the rule. Haven't looked at the Gasly/tractor video closely yet. #F1 — Connor Ferguson (@cfchangs9) October 9, 2022

Mercedes has turned a bouncing tractor into a F1 race car in under 5months? Well done boys and girls at Brackley and Brixworth! — Tilak Mithrabettu (@tilak365) July 31, 2022

Let's not forget that Seb drove a tractor into P8 at an @F1 race #ImolaGP #GOAT @astonmartin @ScuderiaFerrari pic.twitter.com/ul9LJzVhGm — Pramesh CS (@cspramesh) April 24, 2022