During the free practice and qualifying for the Sprint race of the Chinese Formula 1 Grand Prix, a rather unusual situation was witnessed – the grass in the run-off areas spontaneously caught fire.
Both times, the situation occurred at turn seven. In FP1 it prompted a red flag, while in the qualifying for the Sprint race, the start of Q2 was delayed.
As it rained a lot in the circuit area this week, and considering the extent of the flames, only the sparks resulting from the passage of the cars do not explain everything – although they are partly to blame for the ignition.
According to Motorsport.com, there are several possible explanations. One of them is a possible release of methane gas, considering the marshy soils on which the racetrack is built. Another explanation could be a chemical treatment of the grass to improve its appearance.
It is certain that nothing abnormal was detected in the area during the FIA inspections. Now, a more detailed examination will be carried out in order to prevent these fires from recurring throughout the rest of the weekend.
