F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Gasly confused by stewards' decisions in Singapore

Pierre Gasly rued once again the inconsistency of the FIA stewards' decisions after an aggressive move by Kevin Magnussen on the Alpine driver in the Singapore Grand Prix went penalty-free.

The stewards also took a lenient view towards Max Verstappen's actions in qualifying, with the championship leader handed mere reprimands for two impeding incidents that appeared as clear-cut for many drivers.

Gasly admitted after last Sunday's race that he no longer understands the regulations and believes the FIA's stance on penalties should be "black and white".

"I just asked if he [Magnussen] can push someone off the race track, when I’m going to pass him I’m going to give him a little nudge and do the same," Gasly said, referring to his spat with the Haas driver.

"I’m not going to open the topic – it’s just, make it black and white.

"I was pretty surprised [after qualifying] and again on Sunday. I don’t fully understand the regulation. I read the regulations, I know the regulations, but then it doesn’t always translate to what happens on the track.

"But to be fair, it didn’t change my race. I got the best out of it so it was fine but a couple of times it’s just unfair to me.

"It might be the way I look at things, I don’t know. I’ll have a discussion [with the FIA] because to me it’s just, I don’t fully understand."

Gasly wondered if there had been a change in how certain moves are now being judged by the stewards.

"I’m not going to question more etcetera, but I’ve had tough decisions against me, with a six place penalty in Barcelona this year for impeding, and it was definitely way less than what I’ve seen yesterday," he added.

"Maybe now this is allowed. I don’t know, I’ll ask."

Gasly acknowledged that Magnussen's aggressive behaviour last Sunday's race hadn't come as a surprise.

"He said it before the race, I think he said 'I’m not going to make anyone’s life easy', and clearly he took his words as they were," he explained.

"I knew he was going to take it on the limit. It was once or twice slightly over but at the end, I finished P6, so I don’t really care."

While frustrated with the stewards' calls, Gasly was satisfied overall with Alpine's level of performance at Marina Bay, although Esteban Ocon's gearbox failure deprived the Enstone squad of a double top-ten finish.

"We had such a tough Monza," he said. "We knew why, we knew the track layout didn’t favour us, but it was important just to get some sort of performance and prove it to ourselves," he said.

"So this is what happened.

"I think both cars should have been sixth and seventh, it’s a shame for Esteban and lose a car and some important points.

"But definitely sure on Sundays we have got the potential to be right there, and that was positive."

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

Recent Posts

Horner: Red Bull can take on F1 engine giants, but time needed

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is confident that Red Bull Powertrains can compete with…

2 hours ago

Albon backs Colapinto despite crashes: ‘He’s a fantastic driver’

Alex Albon has defended his interim Williams teammate Franco Colapinto, arguing that the rookie’s costly…

3 hours ago

Happy 'Bert Day' to F1i founder Bertrand Gachot

Today, we at F1i.com raise a celebratory glass to our esteemed founder, Bertrand Gachot, who…

5 hours ago

McLaren’s 2024 Season: A triumph 26 years in the making

McLaren roared back to the pinnacle of Formula 1 in 2024, clinching their first Constructors'…

5 hours ago

Lawson opens up about online abuse following Red Bull promotion

Liam Lawson has revealed that he became the target of online abuse by fans of…

7 hours ago

Norris and Leclerc agree: Sainz 'deserves to fight at the front'

As Carlos Sainz prepares for a new chapter in his Formula 1 career with Williams,…

8 hours ago