In addition to criticism of the delay in attending Ralf Schumacher as he sat motionless in his car following his high-speed crash at Indianapolis, there has also been widespread condemnation of the fact that the race wasn't red-flagged following the first corner crash - involving four cars - that is widely thought to have played a major part in the German's subsequent accident.

It is widely believed, that carbon fibre shards deposited on the track following the first corner crash, caused the punctures that subsequently caused Schumacher and Renault's Fernando Alonso to crash.

Michelin has already said that punctures from shards of carbon fibre resulted in the punctures that caused both drivers to crash out of the race, but now, talking to Motorsport News, Michelin's Pascal Vasselon has suggested that in such instances races should be stopped in order that the track be cleared.

"Whenever there is a crash on the racing line we always think it is better for cars to stop and change tyres," he said.

However, a spokesman for the FIA has said that races are only usually stopped if the track is actually blocked or if it is though conditions are too dangerous to continue.

"Race control was in constant touch with the safety car," he said, "and the feedback from the track was that it was quite possible to avoid the debris.

"The start of a race is potentially the most dangerous moment and is therefore something to be avoided if a safety car deployment can manage the situation safely and effectively which was the case at Indianapolis."