Maldonado given three penalties for Gutierrez collision

2014 Bahrain Grand Prix

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Pastor Maldonado has been penalised three times for his collision with Esteban Gutierrez during the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Maldonado had just left the pits when he hit the Sauber driver, flipping Gutierrez over and forcing him out of the race.

The stewards gave Maldonado a ten second stop-go penalty during the race and two further penalties.

Maldonado will also take a five-place grid penalty for the next race in China. And he has had three penalty points added to his licence.

The stewards also handed two more penalty points to Jules Bianchi for his contact with Adrian Sutil during the race, giving him a total of four for the season so far.

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2014 Bahrain Grand Prix

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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112 comments on “Maldonado given three penalties for Gutierrez collision”

    1. But most drivers seeing another car exiting the pit lane would have given more room which Gutierrez didn’t do, so he should take part of the blame. We only say this because it is Maldonado.

      1. Aditya (@adityafakhri)
        6th April 2014, 18:21

        don’t agree with your opinion. saw the footage and seemed like the Sauber was giving space after passing the Lotus, as Guti placing his car with quite gap with the apex. in other note, Pastor decided to go deep but unfortunately carried too much speed out the pitlane. Pastor is the one who should back off.

      2. He shouldn’t of put himself in that position full stop. He should of slotted in behind Guitierrez, he had track position.

        1. Totally agree

      3. Clearly you haven’t pay attention on usual racing line on turn 1

    2. Actually, i think it is too little. He should either be given a one race ban or should have been given a red flag, all because of his previous record.

      1. Black flag you mean :-P

      2. He should be banned from F1, to be honest. He just rammed the Sauber, pure and simple. Gutierrez gave him space, as he was required to do, but Maldonado (which roughly translates from Spanish as “Evil Out of Nowhere”) just rammed him, he was never gonna avoid him with his “racing” (more like ramming) line, and to top it all off, he hit him in the back, which we all know means he was at fault.

    3. Not good enough . Should have been black flagged or 6 points off the license .

    4. It was a BBW issue, no fault of PM

  1. Justified. It was a very stupid move.

    Plus it does show that low noses are not the end to it all in terms of safety. (Or was he flipped up through contact at the wheels somehow?)

    1. I believe it was the nose getting under the floor.

      1. No actually it was the tyre, not the nose.

        1. Yeah after watching again from a different angle, the nose only went under the floor after the car’s first bumped wheels.

      2. wheel on wheel

    2. What I was wondering. Very dangerous.

    3. From what I saw it was rear wheel going over front wheel that cause the flip and nothing to do with the nose…although the quality of the video wasn’t great (damn my broadband!) so I stand by to be corrected

      1. Malonado was coming in too hot for the corner so he could never properly make the apex. He was coming through at about 30-40 degrees for the apex, where as Guitierrez was practically done with turn 1 and starting his exit. So it was the moment of differing trajectory that caused the wheel-on-wheel contact to flip him.. in my view.

    4. On Sky Ant Davidson just showed it was likely the rear wheels @mike-dee, nose didn’t go under the sidepod.

    5. Seemed like might have been a bit of a combination to me.

      Worth considering what could have happened with the old-style noses, this sort of side on impact was the main concern when it was decided to lower them. Maldonado could have jumped up over the top of Gutierrez, possibly making it more dangerous.

      What really worried me was the amount of time before the safety car was called and marshals got to Esteban. It was seemed like a couple of minutes, and he’d extricated himself by then but what if he had been knocked unconscious or sustained a neck injury?

      1. Yes, I have to say I wasn’t sure about EG as well: he seemed to be very very quiet in that car for a long time. I was surprised not to see marshals running to him sooner.

    6. Was a wheel on wheel crash. If you watch the post collision you don’t see any damage on Maldonado’s tusks, or Gutierrez’s sidepod or chassis where supposedly Maldonado would hit him with the nose.

    7. Have Lotus secretly installed a Robot Wars style flipper in their nosecone?!

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpNTfWYUdm0#t=186

  2. I’m usually one to rush to the support of drivers like Maldonado, Grosjean and Vettel. But I watched that crash and found myself to be quite shocked. However, I’m not sure what the stewards were aiming at with this category of penalty. I’d have given him more points on his license (5?) rather than a grid-drop…

    1. I like how Bianchi has more points for 2 contacts than Maldonado for flipping a car over, and a lot of previous misdemeanours. Bianchi’s first contact was also caused by a puncture given to him by Vergne…

    2. I don’t get why you name Vettel in the same line as Maldonado and Grosjean……..
      It just doesn’t make any sense to me.

  3. So if your team doesn’t attach your wheel you get a 10 place grid penalty but if you almost kill another driver you get 5. Logic.

    1. The Webber incident last year was arguably more dangerous, which was why the severe penalty was implemented.

    2. MAL had potential to kill a driver that accepts the risks,that tire had popotential to kill camera guys, pit crew, marshalls that don’t necessarily accept risks like the drivers do.

    3. Well, I think RBR got that one also for having Ricciardo drive around with a wing lodged under the car too Tommy.

      But yeah, could have been 6 points on his licence.

      1. no penalty for the wing, he would of got Black with orange circle flag shown first

    4. Eh… Gutierres left wirhout harm, while the cameraman in Webber’s incident had to be hospitalized.

      That’s because F1 are built to resists crashes like this and protect the drivers.

      For obvious reasons, you can’t protect the pit crew in the same way, which is why the pit rules are that strict now.

      Though I do agree that 5 placer was too little.

  4. He should have been disqualified in my view. It was scary.

  5. A little lenient perhaps?

  6. How does Ricciardo get 10 points through no fault of his own but Maldonado gets half that for flipping a car upside down at the end of a high speed straight?

    Ridiculous.

    1. Nick (@grosjean0817)
      6th April 2014, 18:13

      Ricciardo did not get 10 points in his license, he had a 10 place grid penalty.

      1. Nick (@grosjean0817)
        6th April 2014, 18:14

        On** his license.

      2. ah yes, sorry

    2. Thankfully it was in the middle of the slowest corner though and not actually on the straight. Ricciardo’s had the potential to be more dangerous (ie, Webber,Germany 2013)

  7. I would declare this more fair than not

    1. Agree, I am not a PM fan at all, although it was a stupid move the penalties received were more than fair.

      I am not too sure if he would be gracing our screens without the additional support he brings to Lotus.

      1. GB (@bgp001ruled)
        7th April 2014, 3:41

        correct me if i am wrong, but he wasnt the first choice for the seat! lotus wated someone else!!!

  8. Given what he did to Gutiérrez, it seems like they went easy on him. Ricciardo got twice the penalty on Malaysia for something that wasn’t even his mistake, but Maldonado could have seriously hurt Gutiérrez with that somersault.

    1. It was as dangerous though. First the wheel/unsafe release then having him drive for a lap with his wing lodged under the car.

      1. Oh yes, of course it was unsafe, but I believe this was just as bad, so it should have incurred a similar penalty.

        1. surely the same penalty , one was a loose wheel nut the other is a loose nut behind the wheel. LOL

  9. My answer for question #12 of this article has just increased its odds significantly of being right.

  10. While I think the stewards are going over board with penalties this year – MAL is the exception and he deserves every punishment they could give him.

  11. Maybe 3 points is a bit low for this, but on the other hand he did drop out of a points position with his stop and go, and he does get a grid drop too. I just hope he finally takes a look at himself.

    1. Thing is, he’s not one for introspection. He’s active danger out there and petrodollars keep folks hoping he just just might …

  12. I can’t wait until he is out of F1, he is an idiot.

  13. So Ricciardo gets a ten place drop for a pit stop, Maldonado only five for a very dangerous crash, hows that fair?

    1. People in the pit lane aren’t normally fitted with energy-absorbing crash structures

  14. Well it seems a change of teams hasn’t changed his reputation
    #crashdonado

  15. Deserved, really.

  16. Very danger move from Maldonado. I have to say I was very worried that it was Grosjean…

    How many points will be given to his license?

    1. Only 3 :(

  17. Honestly, for what Maldonado actually did, it’s a justified penalty. People are probably overreacting because Gutierrez’s car flipped, but Pastor only went into the corner too hot, it’s not like he deliberately caused the crash.

    1. I heard JEV reaction on Canal+ about Maldonando’s move on him that caused his retirement and that was before the collision with Gutierez, JEV said “le grand malade” which means the “big sick”, in this race alone he was involved in a collision with JEV & Gutierez and he also squeezed Vettel and i’m sure he will say that it was a racing incident

    2. Yes it looked really bad and as a result people are overreacting a bit, particularly because its Maldanado.

      However a 10 place drop with 3 penalty points or a 5 place drop with 4 penalty points would have come off looking better. Also, Maldando really needs to drive with a cooler head.

    3. No one in F1 deliberatly crashes !
      It’s just maldonado doesnt seem to think like normal racers . Grosjean grew out of it luckily as i thought his career was over , but pastor doesnt seem to learn . That was never his corner

      1. there probably a few million reasons why hes still in F1

  18. Not harsh enough. Get this idiot out of an F1 car.

  19. Now, here is the question. Would that have happened with a higher nose?

    1. @strontium Have a look at this, I don’t think the low nose caused it http://gfycat.com/UnpleasantHiddenApisdorsatalaboriosa

      1. hard to see from that angle, but it looks to me like the nose may have lifted it a little first before coming together with the wheels.

      2. Thanks for the link – hadn’t seen the footage before.

        I would post my opinion on Maldonado, but it would overload the profanity filter.

    2. Thanks to Maldonado to show the vulnerability with these new F1 cars

    3. Lotus should revise nose & give him a caterpillar design…

  20. Should have been 6 points in my opinion.

  21. I don’t care how much (dirty) money he brings – he’s a bloody liability and a danger to everyone else.

  22. Dumb move by pastor…extreamly unneeded to put your nose on the inside at that point.

    I do think goots could have given slightly more room, but it wouldn’t have mattered, there still would have been contact.

    Another hit on on pastors already dismal reputation, but I really think the brakes an these cars are just horrible this year.

  23. Bianchi? I could swear it was Suttil who drove really unfairly.

  24. Fair penalty. Stupid mistake really but he did drive well this race considering. Let’s not try to make the penalty based on the driver than what actually happened since we all know that a lot of people dislike him.

    1. Why do a lot of people dislike him? Ask yourself…

  25. That is too harsh for poor Maldonado… Remember there is no smoke without fire

  26. I’d normally say this was too harsh but since Maldonado is a repeat offender… justified.

  27. I think he got away with it Ricardo’s penalty was harsher for what happened

  28. For those who like stats, this means Maldonado has been involved in an incident for every race in 2014. Hope Lotus is finding Maldonado’s oil money worth it!

  29. Perhaps they should penalise Maldonado in future by adding bumpers around his gokart, eh I mean, F1 car.

    All joking aside, I think a 1-race ban as a minimum should have been served to him.

    Then Lotus can follow tradition and rehire Kovalainen instead of Pic for the next race.

  30. When I saw that accident I skipped my heart beat. Esteban is lucky to come out of this scary incident without getting seriously hurt.

    Just 3 points added to Crashtor’s license!! His super license should be taken away and he should be banned from racing. He isnt suited to racing cars.

  31. Maldonado is dangerously unsympathetic towards other drivers and rules, which shouldn’t be tolerated. He should be given a 3 race suspension. He basically just drove into Guitierrez, refusing to accept that that corner was Guitierrez’s. The way Maldonado is, he shouldn’t even be driving in Formula One- he has had a constant stream of accidents and is always constantly aggressive to a dangerous degree- even though he is fast. It’s amazing his career has lasted even 2 seasons and he has even won a race. He should consider himself very lucky. And considering all the Venuzelan oil money he is bringing into Lotus, it’s easy to see why he got off lightly (as usual), he is helping the sport a lot by keeping one of its teams afloat.

  32. This is ridiculous – Ricciardo gets a 10 place grid penalty for a team error, yet Maldonado is left to crash into people time and time again with a paltry 5 place grid penalty and 3 penalty points!

    1. Yes, there was also a 10 second stop and go but it didn’t do anything significant as he wasn’t really in the fight for points as it was!

  33. I’m curious, let’s say if Hulkenberg did this. Would you think this penalty is justified? Even Grosjean who has had more incidents than Maldonado in recent times. Would you guys think it is justified?

    Let’s not focus on the driver just because it is someone several of UA dislike for several reasons. What he did was stupid and it looked worse because the car went upside down. But do you think that we are looking at it not on the incident but on the driver? Because I find that unfair in a way.

    1. Unfair?
      Are you joking?????

    2. I too find it unfair a bit. Yes, Maldonado has had retarded crashes in the past, but I think Gutierrez has left him with too little space and looks like he missed the braking. Take a look at that gif and see Gutierrez’s path in Turn 1 and that Merc’s path later on. But Maldonado has a reputation plus he’s a complete lunatic.
      But that could be my complete indifference for human life speaking.

      1. A lot of drivers have had crashes like that. I mean if it was Hulkenberg who rammed into Maldonado, no one would bat any eye more or less. People let their dislike of certain drivers get in the way of proper judgement.

  34. So, 2 penalty points for blocking in qualy, 3 for flipping another car. What do you have to do to get 4 or more points? The stewards have now set a precedent that you only get 2 or 3 points.

    1. killing another driver= 4 points
      killing ALL your crew = 5 points
      killing all your crew AND ALL spectators = 6 points
      killing everybody on earth = 3 points and one race ban

  35. 3 is far too low. 6 would have made more sense.

    1. That still wouldn’t have been enough in my opinion. 12 on his license, disqualification from the race and a one race ban would’ve been more appropriate for such a vulgar and amateurish example of driving.

      1. @royal-spark
        I don’t think it was nearly that bad.
        Sure it wasn’t the smartest piece of driving, but I don’t think we should let ourselves get carried away because the Sauber flipped.

  36. Maldanado could have easily avoided the crash and this shows total lack of respect for anyone, life and limb and should have the threat of a life ban hanging over him, as far as i am concerned. I am not sure of of the points system and how it works but I dont believe anything they may have given him can be considered harsh

  37. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Pic in that seat before the end of the season.

  38. Wow there are some drama queens watching F1!! Its a crash, it happens.

    1. Yes! With Crashtor behind the wheel it always happens!

  39. Ricciardo got a 10 place grid penalty for unsafe release, in that light, Maldonado should have also gotten atleast a 10 place grid penalty….only 5 feels for me a little unjustified…on the other hand where lotus is now, 5 place grid penalty means back of the grid anyways, i think.

  40. I’m not convinced other drivers would have backed off there either.
    Surely the point of F1 is you stick your neck out and hope the other driver blinks and looses his nerve first just as PM did.
    it could be argued that EG didn’t leave a cars width causing the inevitable impact?

    I’m glad EG is OK, but some of the comments i read here show no consistency and rather depend on who prefers or dislikes certain drivers. I’m no fan of either but have seen other drivers in similar situations that so far have not resulted in collisions, but are not far off.
    Yes PM should have yielded to EG as its likely EG didn’t even see him there but PM was technically ahead going into that corner.

  41. I think folks are being too harsh on Maldonado – it was a freak accident that GUT’s car flipped. It may have been wheel to wheel contact that started it all, but I think the low nose was partially to blame.

    Relative to F1, that was a pretty slow speed crash and if GUT’s car was deflected rather than flipped, people would still be calling Maldonado a bone head but not calling for a race ban. Bianchi’s crash on Maldonado last week was just as bad a driver’s error.

    Let’s not forget crashes like Kobayashi in Korea 2012, at the end of Turn 3, taking out Button, or a couple by Schumacher in Singapore, like the one that took out JEV in ’12.

  42. When will this guy learn? I’m sure even Venezualans are ashamed of him.

    Luckily for him , money talks. He’s not just cut out for this sport

  43. Gutierrez is to blame… Maldonado had little space left and his tyre were just warming up, and Gutierrez had a weird angle when turning, only thing Maldonado could do to prevent the crash is to come to a complete stop.

    1. Caution, my tires are warming up! I’ll push until I crash into someone/something, and I’m not to blame!

      1. Whatever makes you happy…
        Just because Gutierrez flipped over doesn’t make him an innocent little baby…

    2. So by your own admission it was possible for Crashtor to avoid the collision.

      Crashtor was joining from the pit lane, it’s up to him to make space, not the other way round.

  44. For me Bianchi didn’t deserved DT penalty, Sutil should leave him more room.

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