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Daniel Ricciardo faces a setback ahead of the Miami Grand Prix in two weeks as he incurs a three-place grid penalty due to a safety car violation during the Chinese Grand Prix.
Following the Shanghai race, Ricciardo was called before the stewards for allegedly overtaking Nico Hülkenberg under safety car conditions, resulting in a penalty. The incident occurred when Ricciardo’s race was abruptly halted after sustaining damage from a collision with Lance Stroll during the first of two restarts at Turn 14.
Upon review, it was determined that Hülkenberg’s advancement past Ricciardo following the collision was permissible due to the circumstances of the accident. However, Ricciardo’s decision to reclaim his position when another safety car was deployed to clear debris, including Yuki Tsunoda’s damaged car from a separate incident, was deemed a violation.
This ruling by the stewards underscores the importance of adhering to safety protocols, even amidst the competitive intensity of Formula 1 racing. Ricciardo’s penalty serves as a reminder of the strict regulations governing on-track conduct, shaping the dynamics of future races as drivers navigate both the thrill of competition and the imperative of safety.
LAP 27/56
The Safety Car comes in and we are racing again, or are we…
Magnussen sends Tsunoda spinning at the restart and team mate Ricciardo is shunted from behind by Stroll ?#F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/DrL5kOOJlu
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 21, 2024
How did the stewards of the Chinese GP decide the penalty?
The FIA document regarding the incident stated:
“The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 3 (Daniel Ricciardo), the driver of Car 27 (Nico Hulkenberg), team representatives and reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video, timing, team radio and in-car video evidence and determined that Car 3 overtook Car 27 while the race was under Safety Car conditions.
“The driver of Car 3 admitted that he overtook Car 27 deliberately but he explained that he felt that he could do so because Car 27 had overtaken him under safety car before on Lap 28. We note that Car 27 was permitted to overtake Car 3 on Lap 28 because of Article 55.8.
“There was no justifiable basis for Car 3 to overtake Car 27 while the race was under Safety Car conditions. We accordingly imposed a 10 second time penalty on Car 3. As Car 3 was unable to serve the penalty due to retirement, we imposed a 3-grid place penalty to Car 3 for the next race in which the driver participates.
“Competitors are reminded that they have the right to appeal certain decisions of the Stewards, in accordance with Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Chapter 4 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, within the applicable time limits.”
Daniel Ricciardo will serve his penalty in the Grand Prix in Miami, not the Sprint Race.
Feature Image Credit: Visa Cashapp RB Gallery