It’s not every day you see something like this happen in a race. This morning, during the first test of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) at Qatar’s 1.812-kilometer circuit, an incident occurred that will likely be remembered as one of the most ridiculous maneuvers of the season. The two Cadillac prototypes—#38, driven by 2009 world champion Jenson Button, and #12, driven by Alex Lynn—were leading the test ahead of the two Ferraris, who had dominated the race at the start.
Shock Between Teammates
The race was under a Safety Car period, and everything was set for a restart. But then, the impossible happened. As the Safety Car withdrew, Button accelerated, seemingly to resume the race. However, he suddenly stopped, and his teammate, Alex Lynn, not expecting this move, collided with Button’s car. Luckily, both cars were able to pit immediately for repairs, which, fortunately, were only limited to bodywork damage.
The result of this embarrassing incident has had a definitive impact on the chances of both American cars. It’s certainly detrimental to Button’s car, which has now lost a lap to the leaders. It’s also likely to have affected Lynn, Nato, and Stevens, who lost over a minute in the pits and are now running in 13th position.
The aftermath of this mishap has been costly. The race commissioners have handed Lynn a Drive-Through penalty, effectively ending any hopes of a good result for the Cadillacs in Qatar, a result that had seemed all but assured before the incident. This dramatic turn of events will undoubtedly be remembered for a long time in the world of motorsport.