Charlie Whiting's explanation of penalties in Mexico

The FIA race director was the somewhat special guest at the press conference this Thursday in Brazil, and notably returned to the various penalties awarded to Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel.

Published on 10/11/2016 à 17:52

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Charlie Whiting's explanation of penalties in Mexico

The episode insults uttered by Sebastian Vettel behind him, Charlie Whiting took the time at a press conference this Thursday at Interlagos to return to the penalties inflicted on Max Verstappen et Sebastian Vettel after the arrival of the Mexican Grand Prix, and which finally allowed Daniel Ricciardo to take third place.

Based on videos of the various incidents, the FIA race director first justified the sanctioning of the Dutchman Red Bull, guilty of having taken an advantage by cutting into the grass at the first turn, when a similar maneuver at the start of the race Lewis Hamilton, had not led to any penalty.

“I think the main difference between the two situations is that, in Lewis's case, he didn't gain a lasting advantage the way Max did, Whiting explained. Lewis made a small mistake at the start, cut into the first corner and gained a significant advantage, but then slowed down.

We can see on the straight between the third and fourth corner that he lifted his foot to keep 80% on the accelerator and thus restore this advantage. Then, about a minute later, the safety car was deployed and that advantage completely disappeared.

In the case of Max and Sebastian, if Max had done the same thing on the straight between turns three and four, he certainly would have lost a place, that's why the commissioners felt he deserved punishment because he had gained a lasting advantage. This is the fundamental difference between the two. »

An explanation which did not convince Max Verstappen. “If you give penalties, give them to both or don’t give them. In the future, leaving the track should be a penalty, without a decision by the stewards. »

To return to this point, Charlie Whiting also estimated that a modification of this zone could be implemented so that the drivers rejoin the track by being automatically slowed down, with a trajectory to be respected in particular, as at the final chicane. in Montreal, Canada.

On the incident between Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel, the FIA race director indicated that the images and data proved that the German had changed trajectory enough to justify a penalty, given clarifications made to the rule after the Japanese Grand Prix.

The pilot of the Team Ferrari reiterated that it did not agree with this decision, believing that it had left enough room for Daniel Ricciardo after having started to defend his position.