The FIA has given its reasoning as to why Sebastian Vettel was not penalised for an apparent jump start at Formula 1’s Japanese Grand Prix.
Vettel crept forwards before the five red lights were extinguished, stopped, and then waited for the lights to go out, losing his pole advantage to Valtteri Bottas.
Stewards investigated Vettel’s apparent transgression but ultimately cleared him of any wrongdoing.
It came just one race after Kimi Raikkonen was handed an in-race penalty for a similar offence.
The panel of four stewards explained that they reviewed video evidence and “the jump-start report based on the information from the FIA approved and supplier transponder fitted to each car.
“Whilst the video shows some movement that movement was within the acceptable tolerance of the F1 jump start system which formerly defines a jump start per Article 36.13(a) of the Sporting Regulations.”
Vettel went on to finish the race in second position.
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