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Whiting: Wholly unacceptable of Ocon to attack Verstappen

Published on 12 Nov 2018 14:58
11
By: Matthew Gretton

Charlie Whiting has criticised Esteban Ocon after he was "fighting" against Max Verstappen to unlap himself in the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday. The Frenchman received a 10 second stop/go penalty for his collision with the Dutchman.

The crash virtually ended Verstappen's chances of winning the Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton took the lead. The young Red Bull driver completed the race and finished on the podium in second. The Force India driver finished 14th in a disappointing day for the team.

Ocon explained how he's allowed to overtake to un-lap himself which forced Whiting to make a comment about the incident. The race director said: “He’s absolutely allowed to un-lap himself. That’s clear. It’s happened many times in the past.

"Of course, you expect it to be done safely, but more to the point, I think it should be done cleanly and absolutely without fighting. You shouldn’t be fighting to get past. If he’s got the pace, then normally one would expect Red Bull to say Ocon’s got the pace, just let him through, that sort of thing. But it seemed that he just went for it, and it was just a bit unfortunate that he decided to fight for it which was wholly unacceptable.”

Whiting went on to confirm that he backs the stewards' decision to give Ocon the second hardest penalty available. However, Whiting claims the fact that Verstappen lost the race as a result of the crash means nothing when calculating the severity.

“I don’t think it makes any difference that he was the leader,” Whiting reasoned. “It makes it worse in a lot of peoples’ eyes, but as far as the stewards are concerned, that doesn’t matter," Whiting concluded.

xoya

Posts: 583

F1 should go to Nordschleife and problem solved. :)

1
Nov 12 2018 - 23:46

F1 News Max Verstappen Esteban Ocon Red Bull Racing Force India

Replies (11)

mcbhargav

Posts: 1,332
Read: If you belong to a team other than top 3, accept your fate and become the filler. Never race, just represent your team day after another. I’m Mr. Whiting, i do not belong to this millennium.
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- Nov 12 2018 - 17:30
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  More like read: race those you are actually racing. This was just unnecessary.
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  Nov 14 2018 - 16:02
blade

Posts: 341
I have some sympathy for Ocon, but on balance few he did wrong. I think the history between the two played a part, but I also think Verstappen knew he was there and could have provided 10mm more room ! Two thirds Ocon, one third Max. Penalty was right. I personally don't mind Max's reaction in the pits either - we need more characters don't we?
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- Nov 12 2018 - 18:33
Patentprutser

Posts: 392
Ocon should come to senses and should apologize. That’s the only thing Max wanted
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- Nov 12 2018 - 23:14
kngrthr

Posts: 203
lapped cars should never come into play with the main race. they are just a consequence of race tracks being circuits.
if the circuits were 20km or something, you would never see them again.
so i agree that anyone unlapping themselves should do it unobtrusively like on a main straight with the leaders just letting them past.
the unlapped car can then go and fight with the other cars at the back of the field.
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- Nov 12 2018 - 23:16
- xoya
  
  Posts: 583
  F1 should go to Nordschleife and problem solved. :)
  + 1
  
  Nov 12 2018 - 23:46
talktohenry

Posts: 362
''Ocon should come to senses and should apologise'' - totally agree he's way out of order absolute discrace what he did and if he was coming up to Lewis he's have moved out of the way.
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- Nov 13 2018 - 10:24
Rindtchamp

Posts: 304
Ocon did his job.. what engine does he have in that car? ;)
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- Nov 13 2018 - 11:49
- mcbhargav
  
  Posts: 1,332
  I hope its not the Merc's order, and would like to think, its due to the clash of strong egos.
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  Nov 13 2018 - 16:42
Alonzo

Posts: 66
Agree with Whiting on this one, unacceptable, you can't do that... He should be a man and admit he F***d up and apologize... But, I haven't ever seen him accept any blame in the past, so i'm sure he is not starting now...
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- Nov 13 2018 - 22:15
Ram Samartha

Posts: 1,172
This is great stuff. VER showed his weakness that he's a hothead and can't handle pressure. All the other drivers now know how to push his buttons.
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- Nov 15 2018 - 00:59