Why Hulkenberg didn't get a ban like Grosjean for Spa crash

FIA race director Charlie Whiting has explained why Nico Hulkenberg did not receive a similar punishment to Romain Grosjean in 2012 for his part in the turn-one crash at the Belgian Grand Prix. Grosjean was given a one-race ban after he flew across the cockpit of Fernando Alonso, although Hulkenberg will not miss the Italian GP after sending Alonso flying into Charles Leclerc.

Only the halo of Leclerc's Sauber saved him from serious injury after Hulkenberg missed his braking point into turn one and rear-ended the McLaren.

Hulkenberg was given a 10-place grid penalty in Monza and three points on his licence - the latter a measure introduced as a result of Grosjean's Spa crash.

"I think they looked back at the similar type of accident that was caused with Romain in 2012, if I remember," said Whiting.

"The accident was in fact what gave rise to the penalty points system. I think it was clearly Nico's fault, he said he was completely to blame for it, and he took three, arguably four cars out, or destroyed their races.

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"I think that came into it. I think the points are exactly right, and I think the 10-place grid penalty is pretty much what he expected, he didn't say too much after it apparently.

"When you go back to the Grosjean accident and the accidents that preceded it, the whole idea of the penalty points system was to try and say – I think Grosjean had four different incidents – the idea was that if he'd had those accidents, and each had attracted three points, then we would be quite justified to ban him for a race.

"So that was the way that it was made 12 points, so in the future if that sort of thing happened, that would be the result."

Hulkenberg's admission of guilt is unlikely to have made the stewards' decision any more lenient.

"I think it does play a part in the stewards' decision but I don't think it would have been any different had he said, 'Well it wasn't really my fault.' I don't think he could have done that to be honest," Whiting added.