In Free Practice 2, as Pierre Gasly’s mechanics were bringing the AlphaTauri back to his pit box, the top of the car caught fire instantly as if gasoline vapors were passing through the engine cover.
It is actually an event related to the petrol pump that activates and deactivates depending on when the race car is in the garage. This is part of the testing, to see how much the engine is being used under these hot conditions here. It’s not great, I got quite hot… confirms Pierre Gasly after the session.
When we connected the fuel breather, it caught fire, but we were able to extinguish it and restart it, so just a little barbecue, but nothing too serious. It’s something that needs to be reviewed in terms of procedure and adapted because of the heat here. No worries for the rest.
Only the paint and covering stickers on the engine hood and air intake melted, but the fire was quickly extinguished with the help of a mechanic from the neighboring stand, from Aston Martin, who quickly came to assist the AlphaTauri mechanics.
Gasly’s AlphaTauri F1 car at the moment of the fire:
