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Perez is confused why he was penalised in France

Perez is confused why he was penalised in France

25-06-2019 09:00 Last update: 09:01
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Bobby Vincent

Racing Point driver Sergio Perez has admitted he doesn't understand why he was penalised with a five-second penalty for an incident in the first-lap of the French Grand Prix on Sunday.

Perez ran off the track at turn three and followed the official rules by going around the bollard, but the stewards thought the Mexican had gained an advantage by leaving the circuit initially.

He was behind Alex Albon and Kevin Magnussen going into the corner, but despite going around the bollard, as instructed to do, Perez came out in front of the pair. Perez is unsure whether he gained an advantage because of the cars all being bunched up during the first lap.

"I don't understand why I was penalised," Perez admitted, as cited by The Checkered Flag. "I have to look at it properly, but I did what I'm supposed to do, which was to go around the bollards.

"The rule is that you have to come back on the track as soon as you go through the bollards, which is what I did. I think what they did is wrong, because I stuck to the rules. Whether or not I gained an advantage, for me, it was impossible to judge - it was lap one and there were so many cars around.

"It's supposed to be slower than the racing line, so that you do not gain an advantage, but if it isn't, it's not my fault."