Sebastian Vettel has won a 4th consecutive drivers’ title today in India, equaling the record of Fangio, Prost, and Schumacher. To celebrate his title, the German chose to perform donuts at the end of his slowdown lap; these controlled circular skids, in front of the main grandstand.
Although this is impressive and pleases most fans, it is legally prohibited by the Federation. The race stewards this weekend were therefore obliged to reprimand the German for this action.
The FIA statement explains that at precisely 16:35, the driver of car number 1 violated the regulations by not bringing his car directly to Parc Fermé, thus not complying with Article 43.3 of the sporting regulations. Given the circumstances, the stewards accepted the driver’s explanations.
Gerd Ennser, Steve Stringwell, Tom Kristensen, and Kamlesh Patel, the race stewards this weekend, summoned Vettel after his victory and have decided to reprimand him.
Let’s recall that three reprimands in one season penalize the driver with a ten-place grid penalty for the next race.
The Red Bull team, for its part, was fined 25,000 euros for not being sufficiently insistent with Sebastian Vettel to ensure he joined the Parc Fermé after the race as required by the regulations.
