Former Formula 1 race director Niels Wittich has publicly criticised the current race management after a second marshal-on-track scare in just a few weeks - this time during the Las Vegas GP.
Footage from Turn 1 in Vegas showed marshals running across the run-off area while drivers were arriving at full speed. Speaking to Sky Deutschland, Wittich called the situation "absolutely unacceptable".
"This must never happen. This situation is absolutely unacceptable," he said.
"At the start, of course, you have a certain procedure in Turn 1. Marshals are ready to clean up any debris, and once the last car has passed they take action. That’s normal, but it should never be so long that the drivers have already driven their lap."
The criticism comes not long after the recent Mexican GP, where Liam Lawson had to avoid two marshals walking on the track as he entered Turn 1 during green-flag running. Both episodes have raised concerns that the current FIA race direction is not learning from earlier errors.
Wittich said that in Las Vegas, the procedures were again not followed correctly.
"At the time, a double yellow flag is just not enough," he argued. "This is just really wrong, and I can’t understand how this is the second time this year that it can go wrong."
He insists the solution was straightforward.
"The easiest way to respond to this kind of problem, even if something is postponed or other actions are needed, is a full course yellow," said Wittich. "It can be activated within seconds, and then everyone has to slow down.
"That’s the quickest and easiest way to make a situation like this safe, because from my perspective you just don’t want to go through this."
Wittich was removed as F1 race director last year.