Sergio Pérez calls Hülkenberg penalty “strange”

Nico Hulkenberg managed to bring to Renault the decisive points with a view to sixth place in the Manufacturers' ranking. The German forced fate at the start of the race by attacking the Force India de Sergio Pérez, who had taken off better than the pilot of the RS 17.

Hülkenberg regained his position by overtaking Pérez off-line at the junction of turns 11 and 12 of the Yas Marina Circuit. Logically sanctioned, the former driver of Vijay Mallya's team received a 5″ penalty, but was able to erase them on the track before his stop, benefiting from a clear track to escape from Pérez.

Enough to arouse incomprehension in the Force India clan. « Hulkenberg cuts the corner, the FIA ​​does nothing and, guess what, they win a place in the constructors' championship, which means more money and more competitiveness next year, fumes Omar Saffron, director of operations of Force India, quoted by Sky Sports F1.

I don't know what the commissioners think, it's really hard to understand. Inconsistency is not great. » An inconsistency of decisions according to the Indian clan also highlighted by Sergio Pérez.

" I think that his penalty was very strange because I was in front of him and he just cut the corner, gaining a big advantage and a position, comments the driver of the VJM10 n°11. He should have abandoned the position as he had to and as he did later in the race with Grosjean, and he should have passed me on the track. »

Discover the full report and analysis of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, produced by our special correspondent on the Yas Marina Circuit, in AUTO issue 2142hebdo, available tomorrow evening in digital version and this Wednesday on newsstands.