Three-time F1 world champion and Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda was on BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek at around 10:00 BST.
"The rain was not the real issue," said Lauda. "There were safety cars put in and the race was run safe more or less to the end, so it could have been run to the end without the accident.
"The darkness I don't think was an issue here. Motor racing is dangerous. We get used to it if nothing happens and then suddenly we are all surprised.
"We always have to be aware that motor racing is very dangerous and this accident is a coming together of various difficult things.
"One car goes off, the truck comes out and the next car goes off. This was very unfortunate."
Austrian-born Lauda was seriously injured in a crash at the German Grand Prix in 1976.