FIA clarifies Pierre Gasly penalty after Fernando Alonso collision

Turkish Grand Prix

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FIA clarifies Gasly penalty after Alonso collision

Gasly seemed unlucky to be given a penalty for the turn one incident

Ewan Gale

Monday 11 October 2021 14:40

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FIA race director Michael Masi has explained the penalty given to Pierre Gasly for contact with Fernando Alonso at the start of the Turkish Grand Prix.

The AlphaTauri driver was given a five-second penalty for tipping Alonso into a spin at turn one, despite it looking as though Sergio Perez had been down the inside of Gasly and forced the Frenchman wide.

Providing insight into the decision made by the race stewards, Masi pointed to a change in philosophy at the start of the season regarding first lap incidents.

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"Having had a look at it, and one of the things if we go back to the start of the year, is that following discussions with the drivers and teams, we had to ratchet back the 'let them race' principals in general," said Masi.

"One of them was first lap incidents in general and that if a driver was wholly to blame for an incident then it would likely result in a penalty.

"That one there, the stewards determined Pierre was wholly to blame for the incident and as a result, a five-second penalty was imposed."

Masi explains difference between Alonso-Gasly and Hamilton-Verstappen

Throughout the season there have been numerous close calls and banging of wheels in the first corners of grands prix, including multiple instances between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

Explaining why none have resulted in penalties like Gasly was handed, Masi considered: "If you look, it is one of those wholly or predominantly, under our regulations.

"We have said, for ease of interpretation for everyone's benefit, is that if someone is wholly to blame on lap one, that will result in a penalty.

"If it takes two to tango and someone is predominantly, then it would likely, on lap one, not result in a penalty, or if there is more than the two cars involved.

"But if it is quite clear there are two cars, one had done it then a penalty would happen."