Latifi vents frustration at FIA over Zhou crash silence

Ian Parkes
Thursday 6 October 2022 13:42

Nicholas Latifi has vented his frustration at the FIA for being unable to offer 'his side of the story' following his crash with Zhou Guanyu at the Singapore Grand Prix.

Williams driver Latifi was handed a five-place grid penalty for this weekend's race in Japan, and picked up two penalty points on his Super Licence, for clattering into Alfa Romeo's Zhou early in the race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

The stewards, though, made their decision whilst the race was still in progress rather than waiting to speak with either driver, unlike with winner Sergio Perez.

The Red Bull driver was given a reprimand and a five-second time penalty for two separate incidents of failing to keep within 10 lengths of the safety car but only after they had spoken with the Mexican.

"In the end, after watching all the different onboards, if you're going off the rulebook, it's clear he came up alongside me and I didn't leave him enough space," said Latifi in explaining his incident with Zhou.

"The things that were not considered - and one of the frustrations is that I didn't have a chance to go to the stewards because they didn't ever summon me, which normally happens when there's an incident between two drivers - is that I was taking the same line I'd taken every single lap beforehand.

"I did actually look in my mirrors both ways, you can see from the onboard I glanced in both directions.

"But the problem was because of the difference in lines, he was driving in the blind spot of the mirror the whole of the way down into the corner.

"In that sense, as drivers, we all know there are massive blind spots in the car, and again I did look.

"But if he's driving in a place where I can't see him, when I do make an effort to look, and I again take my normal line, he ended being there.

"But if I can't see him because he is driving in a place where he should expect I can't see him, especially on a street track in the wet, it's tricky."

Latifi would have accepted punishment if allowed to speak

Latifi has suggested that with mitigating circumstances, the stewards may have been more lenient.

"If I would have got penalised in the end after, let's say, being able to give my side of the story - I know it doesn't make much of a difference - but I would have accepted that," added Latifi.

"But not being able to go to the stewards and give my side of events and different points that weren't considered, that was a bit of frustrating.

"Because we're always talking about the consistency amongst decisions and penalties and whatnot."