Whiting admits Vettel penalty was very harsh
23 July, 2012
Jul.23 (GMM) Charlie Whiting, the highest ranking FIA official at grands prix, has admitted the penalty meted out to Sebastian Vettel on Sunday, for his overtake on Jenson Button, was harsh.
Reigning world champion Vettel was demoted from second to fifth after stewards ruled he that he had gained an unfair advantage by passing Button whilst off the track on the run-off area.
The penalty imposed was a drive-through, which because handed down after the race was converted to a 20-second race time addition.
“It was disproportionate to the offense,” said David Coulthard, who according to Auto Motor und Sport said that this sort of move “happens regularly in DTM”.
Whiting does not disagree.
“The punishment is very hard,” he admitted when asked about Vettel’s demotion. “Unfortunately at the moment we have nothing else to choose from.”
It is believed the FIA is looking into introducing a raft of new penalties, including a mechanism that could delay a driver for as little as five seconds in total.
“Work is still ongoing as per the technicalities,” AM&S said.
Subbed by AJN.
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- Vettel admits he is a bad loser
- Vettel escapes penalty after qualifying
- Vettel admits his mistake caused crash
- Alesi says Hamilton penalty in Hungary harsh
why didn’t lewis get a penalty for overtaking Rosberg in Bahrain?
Hawk
24 July, 2012 at 9:18 am
You are either totally biased in which case your opinion amounts to nothing or you packed the non working eyes – Hamilton did the very same two races prior without penalty – double standards no doubt, if anything that tool Button should have been penalized for pushing Vettel of the track, the dick did not want to give way to the faster car, watch out Button at the next race no one like a whingeing pom and a cheat, someone is going to take him out of the Hungarian GP.
anyone who said this penalty was related to Ferrari is Pathetic. None of ferrari’s car involved.
RBR should told Vettel that he must let JB passed him and overtake JB at another corner…it’s just like u cut the chicane and gain a position..it’s that simple
I
@Disgusting
indeed disgusting. did we watch the same race? JB just kept the racing line, simple. Actually watching the race again I realised that what Vettel did was so stupid proving the cucumber he is. It was obvious for all to see. I actually saw it immediately before JB said it. And when he did, I was like yeah right. Vettel trying to overtake at the turn on the outside was just a stupid attempt. Kobayashi took Hulkenberg at that same corner during the race and it was clean only that this time he did it from the inside (JB’s position).
the punishment seemed harsh but stupid mistakes like that can cost you. Recall McLaren at Barcelona, the fuel. And can you imagine if Vettel had not been punished the furore it could have created in the paddock? Do you recall Hamilton’s move on Rosberg in Bahrain? It was defendable but created uproar. Ceding the 2nd position to JB would not be a punishment because it is what he should have done himself in the race (would he be punishing himself?). 5 seconds? BS.
IMO this was a racing incident and not so much an “illegal pass”.
While watching the replay it was evident that V. pulled alongside B. coming into T6.
No way B. didn’t see V. making the outside move.
On the exit, B. squirrels about and in fact does cross the outside track boundary line,
not leaving enough room for V. had he been alongside.
Having said that, the stewards should have been a bit more on the ball and ordered V. to drop back and allow B. to pass for the position.
As B. said, there was still ample opportunity to pass with 2 laps left given B’s. worn tyres.
The overly punitive 20 second penalty should have merely been a switch in places and perhaps a
starting grid penalty at Budapest.
The stewards should try to entirely minimize penalties that affect point outcomes.
From 2′nd to 5′th is a lot of unnecessary points lost .
I am not prejudicial.
I would have said the same of any of the drivers.
FIA = Ferrari International Assistance
If you haven’t noticed all the eyes are on Red Bull as Ferrari is coming on strong and WINNING. Now with Vettel being demoted to 5th place Ferrari gains more points in the constuctor title and Alonso increases his lead in the Championship.
Too all who thinks Button forced Vettel off the line you should get out of your denial cave.
He left him enough space but Vettel decided early on, that he will take the wide line in order to get a better exit.
If Button forced him off the track by taking his normal line, Vettel wouldn’t have such advantage by going wide.
It just seems that this year everyone is against redbull and vettal in preticular. Holes engine maps a move to avoid crashing each race its something.
I cannot understand why Charlie doubts his own set of rules….it’s all these bloody rules that kills overtaking & pure racing..sixties – eighties still the best with less RULES!
@Disgusted with 2012.
You are allowed to make one move, button made his. Vettel should have backed out of it but didn’t. Simple. Now, you can either accept Vettel was at fault or keep crying about it, but I’ll leave that up to you.
The FIA is a big joke. So under Charlies new system all Vettle would have had to do is get 6 seconds in front of the car he illegally passes and it will all be ok because that way he won’t lose second place.
Time for Charlie Whiting to go, the man has no integrity.
With Vettel alongside, Button moves two wheels off to force Vettel off track, then radios in to whine about Vettel being off track to avoid running into Button? Vettel did not gain the position against Button in this move, as he had already come alongside, as the pass was already well under way at that time. So, Button gets away with 2nd and Vettel gets the ridiculous penalty? If Vettel had passed by shorting a chicane to avoid a collision, he would only have been asked to relinquish the position, as has been the case for decades in F1. Yet, when forced off track by a defending driver to obviously avoid the collision, he gets a drive through – while the driver who forced him off track gains the position through an unfair penalty? This all has a real stench to it. I am sure Jense is happy with his points – like a thief is proud of a purse he snatched in the park.
harsh? doubt it… numbers don’t lie. 20 seconds = 5th place. tuff it up. nuff said. next .