The FIA's Charlie Whiting has explained why the stewards hit Esteban Ocon with a heavy penalty during the Brazilian Grand Prix after the Force India driver clashed with race leader Max Verstappen.
Similar crashes have been deemed racing incidents in the past, however this one was different in the fact Ocon was a lapped runner attempting to unlap himself by overtaking the leader, which at the time was Red Bull's Verstappen who had a comfortable five-second lead over Lewis Hamilton.
The Dutchman had fought his way to the front and was cruising to the chequered flag with 26 laps remaining when Ocon, on fresh tyres, came up behind the RB14 and attempted to go around the outside at Turn 1, but Verstappen closed the door and the pair crashed and spun, allowing Hamilton to take the lead and victory.
Ocon was handed a ten-second stop and go penalty for "causing a collision", which Force India team boss Otmar Szafnauer was very critical of. But Whiting explained that whilst cars are permitted to unlap themselves, it should be done in a safe manner and this is why the penalty was warranted.
"It's happened many times in the past," Whiting said of cars unlapping themselves. "But of course you expect it to be done safely.
"More to the point, it should be done cleanly and absolutely without fighting. You shouldn't be fighting to get past.
"If he's got the pace then normally one would expect Red Bull to say 'Ocon has got the pace, let him through' or that sort of thing.
"But it seemed he just went for it. It was just a bit unfortunate that he decided to fight for it, which was wholly unacceptable."
Whiting insists the fact it happened with the leader of the race wasn't a factor in the penalty.
"I don't think it makes any difference it was the leader," he added. "It makes it worse in a lot of people's eyes but as far as the stewards are concerned, that doesn't matter."
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