Sergio Perez, Racing Point, Autodromo do Algarve, 2020

Perez collects second reprimand for another incident with Gasly

2020 Portuguese Grand Prix

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Sergio Perez has been given his second reprimand in as many days for an incident involving Pierre Gasly, and is at risk of a grid penalty if he collects a third.

The Racing Point driver was handed his first reprimand yesterday for impeding Gasly in qualifying. He collected a second in today’s race for his late defensive move when Gasly tried to pass him on the approach to turn one.

“The stewards determined that on lap 64 of the race at the end of the main straight, Perez moved in defence at the exact same time that Gasly who was overtaking to the right having slipstreamed Perez down the straight. Gasly’s move was made before the braking zone and was entirely reasonable.

“As Gasly was moving to the right with significantly greater speed, Perez moved to the right and then continued to move in front of Gasly for a significant portion of the track but stopped having left a car width to the inside.

“The stewards noted that earlier this year, the drivers discussed ‘late movement in reaction’ moves and agreed that they were potentially very dangerous. The stewards considered that this move was at the fastest portion of the track, but also noted that Perez did not move in reaction, but rather moved first or simultaneously. Further he is entitled to make a single defensive move, but such a move cannot constitute a danger to another driver.

“In the hearing, both drivers agreed that while on the limit, this manoeuvre was fundamentally okay and constituted racing at the limit. The stewards however, believe that this was too close to that limit and that Perez had not sufficiently accounted for the speed differential. In selecting a penalty, the stewards have taken into account the views of the drivers involved and ordered a reprimand (driving).”

If Perez collects a third reprimand before the end of the year – even if it is for a non-driving offence – he will be given an automatic 10-place grid penalty.

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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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    20 comments on “Perez collects second reprimand for another incident with Gasly”

    1. Ricciardo weaving on straight for 3 laps goes unnoticed by stewards. Also Perez didnt move under braking and he did move just once while Gasly was nowhere near his rearend gets reprimand while Baku 2018 Verstappen weaves on straight, makes late move under braking causes collision and gets away scott free.

      1. Riccardo should’ve gotten a reprimand too. It was nearly as bad as Perez did.

      2. +1000 VER never gets anything.

      3. If I remember correctly you can weave if you’re sufficiently ahead of the car behind. There’s a limit of course, you can’t make exaggerated movements, but a gentle breaking of the tow a few times on a straight is allowed I think.

        1. It is definitely allowed and what Ric did today was well within the regulations, which is why Gasly never complained to begin with

        2. @wsrgo I think I remember Hamilton getting a penalty (or maybe just a warning) 10 years ago in Malaysia for weaving all the way down the straight to try to break the tow to Petrov. That established, at least for a while, that that was not a valid move.

          1. All the Barichello histrionics of never seeing anything like that in his life.
            In my opinion he was giving him room to pass but Barichello kept on going behind him.
            So its not so a horrible thing to do when its not Hamilton doing it.
            When that rule was made, it was specifically about the braking zone and not moving to block. If a driver ahead moves to the right and the one behind follows, is that blocking?

        3. As @tflb mentions, there’s pretty clearly established precedent. And when you mention doing it “more” I think doing it 3 times, 3 laps in a row makes it pretty clear that he is doing this on purpose.

      4. That weaving from Ricciardo was quite blatant, and as you mention, he did it 3 laps in a row in that fight. Agree that he should at least be reprimanded. We don’t need to see any accidents with these kind of antics on track (Perez, Ricciardo)

    2. Well, that seems like a reasonable and measured verdict and punishment.

    3. Perez never gets a pass like other drivers.

      1. He got a pass for hitting Verstappen.

        1. * for being hit br Verstappen

    4. That was fast work by the stewards. I thought Perez might get the decision in the post after leaving F1 in December.

    5. Suffering Williams Fan
      25th October 2020, 18:27

      So,

      “Perez… left a car width to the inside… Perez did not move in reaction [and is] entitled to make a single defensive move… both drivers agreed that … this manoeuvre was fundamentally okay and constituted racing at the limit”, but we’re going to reprimand Perez anyway. Got it.

    6. Nice for a driver of the day

    7. What about Ricciardo’s questionable weaving against Gasly for three laps? He moved more than once on the main straight on each occasion.

      1. Not anywhere near the breaking zone and not suddenly.

    8. The exact same time, they said.
      What in Jupiter and Mars are the stewards drinking.

    9. I don’t think I agree with them taking any action on this as I just saw it as hard but fair.

      Perez moved first, He made one consistent move across the track & stopped moving well before you could have said he was squeezing Gasly up against the edge of the track.

      It wasn’t erratic, It wasn’t in reaction to Gasly & I just don’t see anything wrong with it. I’ve seen far worse & far more marginal moves than that go unpunished.

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