United States Grand Prix – Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat has lost his tenth place finish after race stewards hit him with a post-race time penalty.
The Russian driver finished the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in tenth position, having wrested the position away from Racing Point’s Sergio Perez on the final lap.
However, the stewards awarded him a five second post race time penalty after investigating his pass on Perez in the closing metres. Kvyat had dived up the inside of the Racing Point into Turn 15 but bounced over the kerb and the two cars made contact on the exit of the corner. This resulted in some small damage to Perez’s front wing.
Summoned before the stewards, Kvyat was also given a penalty point for the transgression.
“The Stewards reviewed video evidence.” said the steward’s ruling. “Car 11 [Perez] was in front immediately prior to the apex of the corner, car 26 [Kvyat] “dived” down the inside, had a small lock up and bounced off the kerb, which moved the car to the outside of the exit of the corner, colliding with car 11 [Perez].”
Kvyat, with the five second time penalty, finished in P12. In an interview with Dutch television, he said “Oh, fuck this bullshit. It’s unbelievable. The stewards are just completely….I have no words. I have no words. It’s stupid, so stupid. I just went around the inside and he closed the door. It’s normal. Then we touched and then I overtook him around the outside. This is unacceptable.”
“I think it was a harsh but fair move, it was great racing like we want to see and what we have seen this season without other drivers being penalised. I’m very upset and disappointed about this penalty because I don’t think this is what our sport needs.”
It’s the second time in seven days that Kvyat has lost a points paying position due to a time penalty for a last-lap collision. Kvyat also lost out as a result of a collision with Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg at the last corner in Mexico.
