F1: Monaco GP drain covers strengthened

Monaco Grand Prix officials have inspected all the drain covers around the Formula 1 circuit and strengthened the vulnerable ones in a bid to avoid one coming loose again.

First practice was red-flagged after a drain cover on the exit of Ste Devote worked its way loose, puncturing Nico Rosberg's left-rear tire and hitting the right-front corner of Jenson Button's McLaren.

Button praised the work officials do on the circuit but said the incident should not have happened, while his teammate Fernando Alonso said it strengthened the case for improving cockpit protection.

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FIA race director Charlie Whiting inspected the scene after the incident (above) and the drain cover was welded back into place. It was determined that the offending piece was a square inspection hatch measuring around 10in. x 10in. that cracked and came loose.

All covers had been checked, fixed and welded in four places but evidently this was not sufficient as when the hatch broke, the welds were not big enough to retain it. As a result, all the vulnerable covers were inspected and welded down around a larger part of their circumference ahead of support race running on Friday.

Originally on Autosport.com