Lotus' Trackside Operations Director, Alan Permane has dismissed claims that Romain Grosjean brake tested Max Verstappen in Monaco.

The Lotus driver was warned that Max Verstappen was closing in, the Dutch youngster tucked in behind Sebastian Vettel and thereby benefitting from the blue flags shown to anyone hindering the Ferrari's progress.

In a clever move the Frenchman allowed Vettel through at Turn 6 (Hotel Hairpin) but was able to hold off the Toro Rosso.

Just over a lap later however, Verstappen attempted to pass the Lotus on the approach to Ste Devote, clipping the Lotus in the process and spearing into the barriers, subsequently causing the Safety Car (virtual and real) which was to have a catastrophic effect on Lewis Hamilton's race.

Whilst the race stewards adjudged Verstappen as being responsible for the collision and consequently handed him a 5-place grid penalty for the next race (Canada), many have accused Grosjean of brake testing the youngster and thereby causing the incident.

Not so, insists Permane.

"Grosjean didn’t brake test Verstappen," he tweeted today, "he braked 5m later than previous lap. Data accepted by FIA so the penalty was for Max not RG."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Leo, 29/05/2015 10:32

""....The other fact was that he came of his line ..."

"...Verstappen couldn't react to the weird brake move ..."

Grosjean was ahead and was allowed to choose his line freely. Even a defensive one if he wanted to. I didn't see a weird brake move either. I suspect Verstapped was travelling a few kph's quicker (DRS, good exit from A. Noghes turn, slipstream, etc) than the lap before a simply misjudged the situation. So far I like the young Verstappen, but this collision was entirely his own mistake."

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2. Posted by Stitch431, 28/05/2015 10:35

"with the current F1 cars you don't need to actually break to slow down fast. Taking your foot of the gas is sufficient. That is not showing in the telemetry. It is probably also the reason why Grosjean could break 5 meters later as by taking his foot of the gas, he slowed down fast anyway. The other fact was that he came of his line and even crossed the yellow pit exit line in doing so. Therefore Grosjean and not Verstappen is to blame for the incident. Given the fact that by team radio G heard that his breaks would probably not last until the end of the race, ha had nothing to lose by crashing anyway..."

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3. Posted by karel, 28/05/2015 6:29

""barriers, subsequently causing the Safety Car (virtual and real) which was to have a catastrophic effect on Lewis Hamilton's race." This put the decision of Mercedes of/or LH himself, as a logical cause, but that is not truth, it still is the driver or the pit who calls in a car, accident or not, they wan't to benefit and it didn't happen. Still a decision by humans with calculated risks"

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4. Posted by Joop deBruin, 28/05/2015 1:47

"I don't care if Grosjean brake checked or had a bad gas pain, Verstappen couldn't react to the weird brake move made by Grosjean. MV shouldn't have gotten the penalty."

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5. Posted by gturner38, 27/05/2015 19:02

"I really don't care if Grosjean braked earlier than every other car on track. Not all cars handle the same and somebody is going to have to brake earlier. The only question is whether or not he deliberately braked earlier than he did on previous laps and clearly the stewards didn't think he did."

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6. Posted by Joop deBruin, 27/05/2015 14:18

"Grosjean braked hard on this lap for some strange reason. Look at his speed here on the lap before, it looked like he had a panic attack. I'd like to see one of the broadcasters use the fats and create a virtual overlay of Grosjean from the previous lap, then this lap. Then do this lap with any other driver behind him, chosen by the roll of dice. Sorry, but after I checked the data, Grosjean was "hinky" in his approach. I think Verstappen described what he thought happened, while in fact, Grosjean did brake later (but still earlier than pretty much everyone else), but much harder this lap, which took Verstappen by surprise. I like Grosjean, but consistency isn't one of his virtues."

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Permane dismisses 'brake test' claims

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