Quote:
Originally Posted by Born Racer
I think when Vettel takes a look at some replays, he'll see that Kvyat was simply really good into Turn 2. Turn 1 and Turn 2 is either one long corner or two depending on how you're driving it (around the outside line it's like one turn) but if you're coming up the inside on Lap 1, it can be two, and Daniil seized the initiative in that second part.
As for Hulkenberg's antics, it's not good, although technically what was the crime? The report says something about driving unnecessarily slowly in the pitlane. Is that specifically written into the regulations?
Didn't Vettel overtake him with his wheels outside the track limits? That could constitute breaking the rules.
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I think Vettel was way out of order. If he had complained about Kimi running wide and then cutting back across him, he might have had a better case. But far from that, in trying to backtrack from what he said about Kvyat, he has now apologised to Raikkonen.
Regulation 27.5: "At no time may a car be driven unnecessarily slowly, erratically or in a manner which could be deemed potentially dangerous to other drivers or any other person. This will apply whether any such car is being driven on the track, the pit entry or the pit lane."
And Regulation 27.4: "Drivers must make every reasonable effort to use the track at all times and may not deliberately leave the track without a justifiable reason.
Drivers will be judged to have left the track if no part of the car remains in contact with it and, for the avoidance of doubt, any white lines defining the track edges are considered to be part of the track but the kerbs are not.
Should a car leave the track the driver may re-join, however, this may only be done when it is safe to do so and without gaining any lasting advantage. At the absolute discretion of the race director a driver may be given the opportunity to give back the whole of any advantage he gained by leaving the track."
So it seems that Vettel was entitled to overtake in the pitlane entry provided he didn't have all four wheels off the track (and he only put two off).