Along with Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg, Alpine driver Ocon has completed the entire race on the hard tyre, hoping the red flag at the end will allow him to switch to different tires for free and mandatory.

When that red flag didn’t come up, Ocon waited until the start of the final lap before sneaking into the pits and switching to soft tyres.

But with front-runner Sergio Perez about to cross the line in Baku, when Ocon entered the pit lane, the paddock members had gathered in the top three parc ferme area at the entrance of the pit lane, and several had to dodge the way of the Frenchman .

Going blind into the pit lane didn’t help the accident, the drivers first had to go through the chicane so Ocon couldn’t see what was going on until he was on the pit line.

Shortly after the checkered flag, the FIA ​​announced it was investigating what happened, with a spokesman confirming that “we are currently investigating incidents that occurred in the pit lane on the final lap.”

The FIA ​​then summoned its own staff responsible for managing the parc ferme area and issued the following statement.

“The FIA ​​representative responsible for the parc ferme area at the pit entrance must report to the steward at 17:30.”

Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Team, at Parc Ferme

Photography: Simon Galloway / motorsport pictures

Afterwards, Ocon said it was a “crazy moment” that could have ended in disaster.

“That’s not what we want to see,” Ocon said.

“I don’t understand why we start podium preparations and ceremonies when we’re still racing, with a lap to go and people who haven’t pitted.

“Arrived at 300km/h, braking late, I saw the obstacles and the people around me. It was crazy, it could be a very, very big race today.

“It’s definitely something that needs to be discussed because it’s something we don’t want to see.

Asked how close Ocon was to hitting someone, he replied: “Well, very close, I had to take off, I had to back off, so I don’t want to be one of those guys in the middle.

“If I had missed the braking point, it would have been a catastrophe, so it was a crazy moment.”