Ocon penalised for red flag offence
Racing Point Force India driver Esteban Ocon will drop three places on the grid for Formula 1's Japanese Grand Prix for failing to slow sufficiently for red flags in practice.
Ocon was adjudged to have breached red flag rules during the third free practice session of the weekend, after Renault's Nico Hulkenberg crashed to suspend the session.
The stewards' statement explained that Ocon had been confused by Force India's system for managing pace under red flags and ended up speeding for three mini-sectors of the lap.
“The driver informed the Stewards, and the telemetry showed, that he had slowed down for the red flags,” the decision read.
“However, after Turn 4, he heard some beeps on the radio that suggested he was too slow and sped up briefly to regularize his speed.
“In doing so, he briefly exceeded the delta by a maximum of -1.68 [seconds] over three mini sectors.
“As a result, he had failed to maintain the speed delta required under the regulations, resulting in an infringement.
“He acknowledged the infringement and attributed it to confusion caused by the beeps and the system currently being used by the team in such situations.
“In the end, given the importance of observance of the speed restrictions while red flags are being shown and recognising the limited extend of the breach, we decided to impose the above penalty.”
Ocon, who was best of the rest behind the three top teams in all three practice sessions, qualified an initial eighth in a mixed-weather Q3.
He will now drop behind Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, Force India teammate Sergio Perez and Sauber's Charles Leclerc to start 11th.
The Frenchman has also picked up two penalty points, having had none on his license for the 12-month period heading into the weekend.
Previous article
Vettel "not blaming anybody" for failed Ferrari tyre gamble
Next article
Hartley: Engineer's lie played part in superb qualifying
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Event | Japanese GP |
| Drivers | Esteban Ocon |
| Teams | Force India , Racing Point Force India |
| Author | Valentin Khorounzhiy |
F1 Fast Facts: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Onboard Lap - Imola
Why Mercedes isn't confident it's really ahead of Red Bull at Imola
While Mercedes struck back against Red Bull by topping the times at Imola on Friday ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the overall picture remains incredibly close. Despite having a possible edge this weekend, the reigning Formula 1 world champion squad is not taking anything for granted...
What Mercedes must do to keep its F1 title challenge on track
Mercedes may find itself leading the drivers' and constructors' standings after Lewis Hamilton's victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, but it is well aware that it came against the odds, with Red Bull clearly ahead. Here's what the Brackley team must do to avoid its crown slipping .
The double whammy that is defining Vettel’s F1 fate
It's been a tough start to Sebastian Vettel's Aston Martin F1 career, with a lack of pre-season testing mileage followed by an incident-packed Bahrain GP. But two key underlying factors mean a turnaround is no guarantee.
The themes to watch in F1's Imola return
Three weeks is a long time in Formula 1, but in the reshaped start to the 2021 season the teams head to Imola to pick things up after the frenetic Bahrain opener. Here's what to look out for and the developments to follow at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
The 'new' F1 drivers who need to improve at Imola
After a pandemic-hit winter of seat-swapping, F1 kicked off its season with several new faces in town, other drivers adapting to new environments, and one making a much-anticipated comeback. Ben Anderson looks at who made the most of their opportunity and who needs to try harder…
The delay that quashed Aston Martin’s last F1 venture
Aston Martin’s only previous foray into Formula 1 in the late 1950s was a short-lived and unsuccessful affair. But it could have been so different, says Nigel Roebuck.
Verstappen exclusive: Why lack of titles won't hurt Red Bull's ace
Max Verstappen’s star quality in Formula 1 is clear. Now equipped with a Red Bull car that is, right now, the world title favourite and the experience to support his talent, could 2021 be the Dutchman’s year to topple the dominant force of Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes?
Is Formula 1 as good as it has ever been now?
For many, many years Formula 1 has strived to do and to be better on all fronts. With close competition, a growing fanbase, a stable political landscape and rules in place to encourage sustainability, 2021 is on course to provide an unexpected peak
