Giovinazzi warned after causing Silverstone red flag

Formula 1

Giovinazzi warned after causing Silverstone red flag

Giovinazzi scattered debris across the circuit after spinning during FP1

Sam Hall

Friday 31 July 2020 15:06 Updated: 15:26

Antonio Giovinazzi has escaped with only a warning from the FIA race stewards after causing first practice for the British Grand Prix to be red-flagged.

The Italian lost control of his Alfa Romeo at the high-speed Maggotts-Becketts complex that forced him to spin off the Silverstone circuit.

As a result, his tyres were worn through almost to the canvas. As he made his way back to the pits at speed, large chunks of rubber tore apart elements of the floor and the rear wing, leaving the marshals to clear up the debris along the Hanger Straight.

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The stewards took a dim view of Giovinazzi's decision to drive back to the pits, and looked into the incident after the close of the session.

Contravening article 27.4 of the sporting regulations that states "at no time may a car be driven unnecessarily slowly, erratically or in a manner which could be deemed potentially dangerous to other drivers or any other person", Giovinazzi was summoned to the stewards.

In issuing the warning, the stewards "accepted that when the driver left the position where he had come to a stop at Turn 13 his car shed debris due to his damaged tyres.

"However, the stewards felt that the driver acted in a manner that was potentially dangerous to other drivers when he continued at speed and without due caution to the pit lane, shedding debris along the way. That he did so also contributed to the extended 12-minute suspension of the session.

"In deciding the penalty, the stewards have compared this incident to other practice incidents in the last few years and have elected to utilise the warning that is newly available to them under the International Sporting Code."

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