The Formula 1 race director has defended the decision not to penalise Daniel Ricciardo for the first corner accident that ruined his race, along with that of Valtteri Bottas, at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Ricciardo lost his front wing in the collision, which spun Bottas around, with both drivers dropping to the back of the field after being forced to pit.
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It made for a long afternoon for the pair, who could both have easily been in the top five. Instead, Ricciardo finished 12th and Bottas 15th.
Many questioned why Ricciardo wasn’t penalised for the incident, with Karun Chandhok reporting on Sky Sports that Mercedes was “livid” with the call.
The race director, Australian Michael Masi, has backed the decision not to investigate the collision.
“I asked the stewards to have a quick look, and they determined that no investigation was necessary,” he said.
“Basically they have a quick look, if it is worthy of an investigation or not, and their view was there was no investigation necessary.”
The fact Ricciardo wasn’t sanctioned has drawn comparisons with an incident at the Turkish Grand Prix earlier this year, when AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly was given a five second penalty, and two points on his licence, after spinning Fernando Alonso at Turn 1.
“I don’t think there is a lack of consistency because you have to treat everything on its merits,” Masi explained.
“You’ve got to look at each incident and see how it goes. For starters Turkey was wet, this was dry, and completely different corner configurations. There’s a whole lot of things, so I don’t think there is [a similarity to Mexico].
“Having a look at the proximity of the cars, of where they all are compared to each other. There is a whole lot of different factors that come into it.
“So the stewards’ view on this occasion [in Mexico] it was that in their view it was a Turn 1 racing incident.”
Ricciardo initially accepted the blame for the crash, but on studying the replay, changed his tune.
“My memory of Turn 1 was that obviously I had a very good start, and it was looking pretty good,” said Ricciardo.
“I went to the inside of [Sergio] Perez and I do remember locking at one point. Replaying it in my head over the next 70 laps, I thought I locked and went up into Valtteri. So I was kind of obviously kicking myself.
“But then looking at the replay, it looked like I locked in the straightline phase and then actually recovered before turning in. And it looked like there was just not enough room.
“Obviously Valtteri came across, probably expecting to have a bit of clear track, and then there was Perez and me. So I don’t really blame Valtteri, obviously.
“I’m the one that hit him. But honestly, looking at the replay, I just think it’s a first lap incident and a matter of maybe me being optimistic.”
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