FIA brand Ocon move on Verstappen "wholly unacceptable"

Charlie Whiting has backed the steward's decision to give Esteban Ocon the second worst penalty possible in a Formula 1 race. He describes Ocon's incident with Max Verstappen as "wholly unacceptable".

Whiting slammed Ocon for "fighting" when the French driver said he was just trying to unlap himself. The race director said he understands and allows drivers to unlap, but not with the method Ocon used.

"It's happened many times in the past [unlapping], but of course you expect it to be done safely," Whiting said in an interview on motorsport week.

"More to the point, it should be done cleanly and absolutely without fighting. You shouldn't be fighting to get past. If he's got the pace then normally one would expect Red Bull to say 'Ocon has got the pace, let him through' or that sort of thing.

"But it seemed he just went for it. It was just a bit unfortunate that he decided to fight for it, which was wholly unacceptable."

Verstappen was leading the race at the time of the collision. Lewis Hamilton overtook the Dutchman after the incident leading to claims that the crash prevented Verstappen from winning.

The Red Bull driver still made the podium, stepping on the second step. Whiting went on to say that the race position doesn't get added to the equation.

"I don't think it makes any difference it was the leader, it makes it worse in a lot of people's eyes but as far as the stewards are concerned, that doesn't matter," Whiting added.