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F1 Mexican GP: Vettel loses podium for new 'moving under braking' offence

Sebastian Vettel has been demoted from third to fifth position in the Mexican Grand Prix after stewards ruled he moved under braking when defending from Daniel Ricciardo

In a new twist to an already eventful story triggered by a bad tempered by final few laps of the race as Max Verstappen, Vettel and Ricciardo disputed third position, Verstappen originally finished third on the road only to be handed a five-secs penalty for not ceding his position when he ran off at turn one with three laps to go.

With Vettel taking his place on the podium, Red Bull proceeded to lodge a protest against its former driver over his manner of defence from Ricciardo, with the Australian claiming he changed his line under braking.

An offence that was only officially banned a race ago in Texas in response to criticism of Verstappen for using a similar tactic, stewards felt Vettel made an ''abnormal change of direction' in the braking zone, prompting the pair to come into contact and allowing the Ferrari driver to hold position.

The full statement from the FIA

"Notwithstanding the F1 Commission directive to "let the drivers race" we note the concern that has been expressed about manoeuvrers involving a change of direction under braking as expressed at the Drivers Briefing at the US Grand Prix and in the

"Race Director's Notes from the US Grand Prix and this event. The telemetry and video evidence shows that the driver of Car 5 did change direction under braking.

"Article 27.5 and the Race Director's Notes have essentially three criteria that determine a breach

1) Driving in a manner potentially dangerous
2) An abnormal change of direction
3) Another driver having to take evasive action

"The video footage, including the close circuit footage, the broadcast vision, both drivers' on board cameras plus the telemetry show that there was an abnormal change of direction by Car 5 and this was considered to be potentially dangerous in view of the proximity of the wheels of each car. The video evidence clearly shows that Car 3 had to take evasive action as a result.

"Accordingly as all three criteria have been met, the driver of Car 5 is guilty of a breach of Article 27.5"

It means Ricciardo instead takes third position having originally finished fifth, while Verstappen lifts back up to fourth place ahead of his sparring partner.

Vettel has already come under fire for a foul-mouthed radio outburst directed at Verstappen - whom he has disagreed with on several occasions in 2016 - and also FIA Race Director Charlie Whiting, whom he told to 'f**k off'. 

Zdroj: crash.net