Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, 2022

Stewards “quite harsh lately” says Gasly as he moves within two points of ban

2022 Mexican Grand Prix

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Pierre Gasly is in danger of collecting a one-race ban after being penalised for the third race in a row in the Mexican Grand Prix.

The AlphaTauri driver was given a five-second time penalty for forcing Lance Stroll off the track while overtaking the Aston Martin driver for 15th place on lap 13. He was also given one penalty point on his licence.

Any driver who reaches a total of 12 penalty points within a 12-month period receives an automatic ban. Points remain on a driver’s licence for 12 months, so Gasly will not have any penalty points deducted until May 22nd, 2023.

He will therefore have to start nine races with at least 10 points on his licence. That will run into the start of the 2023 F1 season, when he moves to Alpine.

Gasly learned of his penalty point from RaceFans when speaking to media after the race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. He questioned why he hadn’t been told to relinquish the position to Stroll.

“I’m a racing driver,” he said. “If I see a gap, I go for a gap. If you’re not happy about it just tell me to give me the position back and I’ll try again. There wasn’t any comments. That’s a shame.”

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Gasly said he did consider giving the position back to Stroll. “[They] just need to say it in the radio. That’s what they have done in the past. For some reason not this time.”

“I’ll have to change my approach because every weekend it seems to be quite the same thing,” he added.

He confirmed his team did not advice him to let Stroll past again. “I don’t think the FIA told them to give the position back otherwise they would have said it.

“But I’m a racing driver, if I see a gap I will always go for it and if it’s tight and they are not happy they just need to press one button and say to the team.

“They seem to be quite harsh lately. Last weekend half the grid was giving too much space behind Safety Car, I was penalised. This weekend I think it was quite tight and I don’t know why I wasn’t given a message to give the position back. But at the end of the day I try my best inside the car, the last thing I want is to stupid penalty points and to lose race time.

“Apparently at the moment they are unhappy with what I am doing so I will have a discussion with them to understand exactly what I’ve got to change.”

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2022 Mexican Grand Prix

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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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13 comments on “Stewards “quite harsh lately” says Gasly as he moves within two points of ban”

  1. He’s acted like a spoiled baby all season, especially since he signed to Alpine and doesn’t have to play nice with the RB family anymore. I used to like PG, but he’s shown himself to be a fair bit of a dunce over time.

    If Ocon and Gasly are similar on speed next year, it will be a complete disaster. Two of the worst team players. It will make me laugh even harder at Rossi for not being able to swallow his pride leading to him signing PG over DR despite DR crushing Ocon and having been extremely close to Max while PG fell apart having to drive in the same team.

  2. BTW, one might almost think AT might be setting up PG to get a race ban next season at Alpine. It wouldn’t surprise based on how badly he has treated the team since signing for Alpine.

    1. Or maybe just maybe Alpine might be on the phone this week encouraging him to get another 2 points in Brazil so is serving a ban at Abu Dhabi so free and clear for next season?

  3. AT should’ve told him to give the position back straight away, stewards wouldn’t have got involved if he had and no penalty points would’ve been gained either.

    1. The 5-second penalty was a small price to pay to get past the slow Stroll. The penalty point may prove more of an inconvenience, though.

  4. I thought this was made clear that this year they wouldn’t be communicating to teams to switch back places. My understanding was they decided you either do it of your own volition or risk it being referred to the stewards. It was pretty clear cut he ran him off the road so you’d expect him to know better as a pro.

  5. Gasly has to learn his place. He got Webbered. He can’t do anything. Not worth the fight nor is he high profile enough to do what he wants.

  6. Can’t understand how, judging from what I can read above, thinks that you can’t race… Wittich congrats for another mistake.

  7. If only they were more harsh last season…

  8. I agree with BJ. It would have been a lot less contentious if Hammie had received what he had coming at Silverstone. A 5 race raceban!!!!!

    1. Good joke. If maxxie wasn’t spoiled despite his driving attitude and penalised earlier, he would get a season wide ban most likely.

  9. The penalty should’ve been for forcing Stroll off the track rather than for briefly leaving the track himself shortly after completing his overtaking move, which is secondary in this case.

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