Formula 1

Pérez Keeps Singapore Grand Prix Win Following FIA Investigation

3 Mins read
Image: Octane Photographic Ltd.

Sergio Pérez has kept his victory at Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix, after being put under investigation during the race for incorrectly following the Safety Car procedure. The Mexican, on two occasions, dropped more than ten car lengths behind the Safety Car – prompting the FIA to launch an investigation.

Oracle Red Bull Racing were worried about losing the victory due to a potential penalty, and asked Pérez to push in the final laps to create a gap to Charles Leclerc. The final gap between the two drivers at the end of the race was seven-point-five seconds, which put the number eleven driver in a position safe from a five second penalty. However, a ten second penalty would promote the Scuderia Ferrari driver to the top step.

The FIA investigated both instances of Pérez dropping too far behind the Safety Car, punishing him differently for both occasions. The first occasion resulted in a reprimand, while the second saw the Red Bull driver receive a five-second penalty and two points added to his penalty points tally.

According to the reports, Pérez breached article 55.10 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations, officially classified as “falling more than 10 car lengths of the Safety Car.”

The first report

As documented by the first report, Pérez used the conditions of the circuit as the reason for dropping so far behind, which the Stewards failed to accept.

“The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 11 (Sergio Perez), the team representative and have reviewed video evidence.

“Article 55.10 of the FIA Formula 1 Sporting Regulations requires that the leader must keep within 10 car lengths of the safety car once deployed until the lights are extinguished.

“Car 11 was the lead car on lap 10.

“It was admitted while the lights of the safety car were still on, PER failed to keep within 10 car lengths of the safety car between the exit of turn 13 and turn 14.

“When questioned during the hearing PER said that the conditions were very wet and that it was very difficult to closely follow the safety car with little heat in his tyres and brakes.

“Although the track was wet in parts, we do not accept that the conditions were such as to make it impossible or dangerous for PER to have maintained the required less than 10 car length gap.

“Nevertheless, we took into account the wet conditions and the difficulties highlighted by PER as mitigatory circumstances for this incident and, accordingly, determine that a reprimand ought to be imposed.

The second report

Meanwhile, the second report built upon the reprimand of the first report, adding five seconds to Pérez’s race time:

“The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 11 (Sergio Perez), the team representative and have reviewed video evidence.

“Article 55.10 of the FIA Formula 1 Sporting Regulations requires that the leader must keep within 10 car lengths of the safety car once deployed until the lights are extinguished.

“Car 11 was the lead car on lap 36 during the second safety car period in the race. It was admitted that while the lights of the safety car were still on, PER failed to keep within 10 car lengths of the safety car between turn 13 and turn 14.

“This occurred notwithstanding the fact that the Race Director had issued a warning to the team that PER was not respecting the less than 10 car lengths regulation between turns 9 and 10. The team passed that warning on to PER.

“We refer to Doc 56 by which we imposed a reprimand on PER for a breach of the same regulation during the first safety car deployment during the race.

“As this was the second breach of Article 55.10 by PER during the race and followed an express warning from the Race Director, we determined to impose a 5 second time penalty on PER.

“Competitors are reminded that they have the right to appeal certain decisions of the Stewards, in accordance with Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Chapter 4 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, within the applicable time limits.”

Image: Octane Photographic Ltd.
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Joe McCormick is a 20-year old Formula 1 journalist and writer from Devon, who loves everything F1!
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