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Opinions divided over Hamilton French penalty |
The controversial drive-through penalty handed out to Lewis Hamilton for cutting the chicane after passing Sebastian Vettel in Sunday's French Grand Prix has come in for mixed views within the two respective camps, with the Scuderia Toro Rosso ace insisting it was justified and leading McLaren figures conversely arguing their man did nothing wrong.
Though the television footage was inconclusive, race stewards deemed that Hamilton had gained an advantage by shooting off-piste immediately after the move, thereby holding onto the place. The Briton – who saw his race ruined by the penalty, ultimately finishing out of the points in tenth place – claimed that he had to make a choice between acting as he did or else running into Vettel [see separate story –
click here], but that explanation received short shrift from his young German rival.
“He had a better exit than me from the Adelaide hairpin,” the 20-year-old told reporters. “I was inside, to defend my position, and had the better line for curves six and seven. Lewis arrived with more speed, I went from the gas and braked and he kept going. For me it was clear that he was going to cut the chicane.
“He cut the chicane completely. I had a similar situation at the Monaco chicane, when I was too late on the brakes. I overtook two cars but I let them go again and so the issue was settled.
“If someone stays in front, there is a penalty. I think he should have let me past again because he had a better car and could have passed me again.”
That viewpoint, however, was not shared by either McLaren team principal Ron Dennis or Mercedes-Benz Motorsport Vice-President Norbert Haug, both of whom were adamant no advantage had been taken by the move.
“I don't think he gained a position by being off the road,” Dennis underlined. “It is our opinion he was past before he got squeezed off the circuit. No position was gained. There's nothing to be gained from saying anything else.”
“I don't completely understand the reasons,” Haug added in an interview with German TV, erroneously going on to suggest that Vettel would see the incident in the same light.
“I don't believe Sebastian Vettel will have complained. He will probably come to me, as Mark Webber did yesterday (after the Australian was impeded by Hamilton's team-mate Heikki Kovalainen during qualifying, for which the Finn also received a penalty), and say, 'that was no disadvantage'.”
