Sutil’s criticises ‘inconsistent FIA’ after penalty

2013 Canadian Grand Prix

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Adrian Sutil criticised the decision of the FIA stewards to hand him a drive-through penalty during the Canadian Grand Prix.

Sutil was penalised for failing to respond to blue flags when he was being lapped by Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso in the latter stages of the race.

“Quite disappointing with the drive-though,” Sutil said afterwards. “I was just racing Raikkonen, I was trying to push on. I gave them the straight to pass me, that’s where Hamilton overtook me then with the DRS as well.”

“So I thought, ‘OK’, they were one lap behind me but that’s usual in this kind of circuit. I spent many laps behind lapped cars until I got past.

“It’s just so inconsistent decision all the time by the FIA. it’s something I don’t understand.”

His team agreed with his view of the penalty, telling him on the radio after the race it was “harsh”. The stewards ruled Sutil had ignored blue flags from turn three to turn thirteen.

Sutil’s problems began when he tangled with Valtteri Bottas early in the race and spun. “That created all the problems,” he said.

“I saw a chance there to pass Bottas. He had a bad exit out of turn two and we were side-by-side into this first chicane and I was really inside on the kerb and it just spun me around so it was a racing incident.”

“Unlucky, but I was in that way still lucky to turn around the car and go on.”

2013 Canadian Grand Prix

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Keith Collantine
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34 comments on “Sutil’s criticises ‘inconsistent FIA’ after penalty”

  1. He’s right there have been a lot of drivers ignoring blue flags today but that doesn’t mean his penalty was unjustified.

    1. @force-maikel yes nothing to add to your statement, it’s natural, it’s a very short narrow lap. I can’t stop thinking though that the FIA thought he was purposely trying to spoil Hamilton’s race. I just recommend Sutil not to criticize the FIA unless he want’s to follow the path of Webber early on the season and Raikkonen now.

    2. Quite right, when breaches become frequent and flagrant penalties have to be applied and there were no inconsistency during this race.

  2. Careful Adrian. You’ll get another penalty for criticising the FIA.

  3. It shouldn’t take 8/9 corners to let another driver through when the ‘blues’ are being waved.
    Not harsh in my opinion, sorry Adrian.

    1. Sutil: “they were one lap behind me but that’s usual in this kind of circuit”

      In fact, quite a lot of people managed to get out of the way in the twisty segment of the track, without waiting till the long straight to let the leaders go by.

  4. Well, on the one hand I rather think that Sutil deserved the penalty (although I do not like the blue flags all that much, that is besides the points), on the other hand I fail to see how Kimi drove much differently but did not get a penalty for holding up the leaders, so I get his remark over the inconsistency.

    All in all lapping cars really did seem to be a bit of a problem today, not sure whether the blue flags were worse to see, or radio was not working at parts of the track or whatever, but it was a bit of a change from other races.

    1. All in all lapping cars really did seem to be a bit of a problem today, not sure whether the blue flags were worse to see, or radio was not working at parts of the track or whatever, but it was a bit of a change from other races.

      Don’t really know if this is true but it seemed to me that there were more cars being lapped than in the previous races – therefore creating more “incidents”

    2. I thought this also. Raikkonen held up Vettel for a few corners. I don’t think Sutil’s penalty was harsh, just the FIA could have acted on Raikkonen as well as he was also quite obstructive.

      1. Agreed

      2. F1 should fix their blue flag rules. It dont make any sense that guy who is racing for champ points should give up in favour of leaders. Yes, Sutil could have pulled over but then Kimi would have passed him too. On that kind of situation you should get a full lap to handle it. Hamilton wasnt fast enough to give Sutil a change to let him go earlier.

  5. Backmarkers were awful today. And I think the penalty was not harsh – but others should have received them too.

    1. Backmarkers were awful today.

      There were 17 of them. What did you expect? Some of them were bound to mess up.
      However, you’re right (and so is Sutil for that matter). The penalties were applied inconsistently in the sense that more of them should have been handed out.

  6. I was watching Vettel’s time – he was always pulling away from Hamilton, and then every 3 or 4 laps he would lose 3 seconds lapping a driver. 3 seconds is just too much and means the backmarker didn’t do a good job.

  7. I actually rewound the race and counted the flags he got. He got his first blue flag at the exit of turn 2, then another after turn 7, a flashing blue board before turn 9 and then another blue flag at turn 10. Quite pitiful decision by the FIA honestly. A reprimand? Yes, a drive through where he battled up to 7th and had to settle for 10th? Nope.

    1. If I follow correctly, that’s four blue flags. Usually a penalty is applied if a driver fails to yield after three.

      1. Josh (@bballr4567)
        9th June 2013, 22:08

        You are correct but the rule reads successive blue flags. He passed about 3 marshal stands in between turn 2 and turn 7 that did not flag him.

        Again, just a harsh penalty for someone who was running in the top ten. Its not like he was 5 seconds slower per lap. Plus, he was the ONLY driver (aside from VDG who just wasnt paying attention three times at the flags) that got even remotely looked at. It was strange for the stewards to go after him IMO.

    2. petebaldwin (@)
      9th June 2013, 22:28

      Yep – http://www.formula1.com/inside_f1/understanding_the_sport/5282.html

      According to the official site, pass three blue flags without complying and the driver risks being penalised.

      I agree it was a pitiful decision but not by the FIA – by Sutil! After fighting up to 7th, why not just let him past and avoid a penalty!? What did he have to gain by holding up Hamilton? He wasn’t being chased down for 7th….

      Sadly he’s let personal conflicts come into it and it’s backfired on him.

      1. Sadly he’s let personal conflicts come into it and it’s backfired on him.

        I think that sums it up nicely. Not very professional. Shame, I like Sutil but this was poor form.

  8. At Sutil got his revenge on Lewis….

  9. Traverse (@)
    9th June 2013, 22:11

    It’s no surprise that Sutil believes the judiciary/disciplinary system has treated him unfairly…

  10. It’s not terribly harsh Adrian, sorry I disagree with you.

    I did get the impression the FIA were trying to clamp down on the driving standards of back markers today with the Van Der Garde incident and all!

  11. petebaldwin (@)
    9th June 2013, 22:22

    Complaining that they’re not consistant is fairly stupid – it was definitely a fair penalty. I remember wondering at the time how many blue flags he’d have to pass before getting a penalty.

    I agree the FIA are inconsistant but that’s a whole different problem. The fact is that Sutil decided to hold Hamilton and was rightly penalised.

  12. To wait almost 1 lap to hand them the straight to pass with the DRS = not yielding at all. Every fast car could pass the one in front in the DRS zone today. I’m afraid Sutil deserved his penalty big time. And racing Raikonnen, Sutil helped Raikonnen a lot by getting the penalty.
    He migth be rigtht that more drivers deserved a penalty for this, but unfortunately Sutil got the TV-time because of the duel behind him – it was impossible for the Stewards to overlook his failure to yield.
    But I was impressed by his recovery after the spin, and the following drivers ability to avoid hitting him. It was one of the more interesting moments of the race.

  13. Hey Sutil, do you want some cheese w/ that WHINE! [lol – I’m so funny.]

  14. I feel sorry for him.

  15. Just for a bit of perspective here, Max Chilton got the same penalty for his incident at Monaco two weeks ago.

  16. Vengeance is a dish best serve cold…

  17. No Adrian, they were not one lap behind you, they were 1 lap in front of you (that’s the whole point) — and you messed up Lewis’s defense against Alonso, because you allowed Alonso to close the gap on Lewis by not moving over. Sorry it sucked for you. Sucked more for Lewis.

  18. If he’s going to complain, it should only be about the leniency towards other drivers who ignored blues, as there was no doubt that Sutil completely deserved his penalty- it was in no way harsh. He admitted that he waited until the straight- that means he intentionally waited 2/3 of a lap. I assumed that he would at least go wide at the hairpin to allow them both past.

  19. Sutil wants to talk about inconsistency? Okay, let’s start with him…

  20. Penalty was totally justified – if Sutil didn’t realise what was going on behind him the team should have been telling him on the radio.

  21. I was under the impression Sutil was trying to help Hamilton by allowing him to use the DRS. He was just in front of Hamilton but never actually slowed him down, so I was surprised to see the penalty.

    1. Exactly. Sutil’s daily evening prayer: “Tomorrow I am going to help Hamilton by allowing him to use the DRS.”

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