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F1 drivers to be warned with lights about rivals exiting the pits in Korea

Formula 1 drivers will be warned via lights on the main straight about rivals exiting the pits at the Korean circuit, in a bid to avoid a repeat of the Nico Rosberg/Jaime Alguersuari collision

The design of the pitlane exit at the Korean Grand Prix means cars exiting the pits join the track on the outside of Turn 1 - which sets up the scenario of any car that runs wide having the potential to collide with one that is coming on to the circuit.

With drivers unhappy with the design, especially after Rosberg slid into Alguersuari in second practice, the matter was brought up in the Friday night drivers' briefing.

However, with it being impossible for the pitlane exit to be reconfigured for this weekend, it has been agreed that drivers both on track and in the pits will be warned of potential problems via lights on both the circuit and in the pitlane.

This solution, which will likely mean white lights on the circuit and extra blue lights in the pitlane, should make drivers more cautious about their entry into the first corner.

Alguersuari believes that circumstances were mostly to blame for the Rosberg incident, and he was hopeful the light solution would improve matters.

"At the moment, it is not easy for a driver to find yourself in a crash without really doing anything because I hardly saw Nico," said the Scuderia Toro Rosso driver. "I just felt the contact and I thought he arrived late.

"We cannot change the track, but you can prevent accidents by warning those drivers on the racing line on the main straight that some car is exiting the pitlane.

"They are going to advise the drivers by blue light, and I think it will help the situation. In the meeting with Charlie we asked for a possible solution, knowing that they could not change the pitlane towards Turn 2 which would be better.

"But knowing the situation, the best thing to do is to make a situation like Monaco which is to show a light and advise someone. From Nico's point of view, he did not see anyone - when he was in his braking point he did not see me, so I think the idea is to advise the driver before he sees the car."

Several drivers had expressed concern about the pitlane exit design in the wake of the Alguersuari/Rosberg collision.

Vitaly Petrov said: "The pit exit is very dangerous. I think they should go more around to make it more safe. But can you imagine if it is wet, if I will lose the car during the race?

"I will crash into him and at 300km/h I might have problems with the brakes or something else, the guys who I will hit will not be nice. In my opinion the pit exit is too dangerous."

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