Sebastian Vettel has been handed a penalty for driving in a “potentially dangerous manner” when trying to defend his position from Daniel Ricciardo during Sunday’s Mexican Grand Prix.
The Formula 1 stewards opted to give Vettel a 10-second time penalty, dropping him to fifth in the final classification. Ricciardo moves up to third.
Ricciardo closed on Vettel in the closing stages of the Mexican Grand Prix after the Ferrari driver lost time behind Max Verstappen, who received a post-race penalty for driving off-track and gaining an advantage.
Ricciardo tried to pass Vettel down the inside at Turn 4, only for the German driver to move across the block the Australian. The pair made contact, rubbing wheels, but both were able to continue with Vettel crossing the line ahead.
Ricciardo told NBCSN after the race that he felt Vettel had breached the rules regarding moving under braking, something the FIA announced last weekend it would be clamping down on.
After a lengthy deliberation that included discussions with representatives from Ferrari and Red Bull, the stewards announced that they would be handing Vettel a 10-second time penalty.
As a result, Vettel falls to fifth in the final race result, with Ricciardo moving up to third and Verstappen slotting into fourth.
Vettel also received two penalty points on his FIA super licence, taking him up to six in the past 12 months.
