In the old days, Bernie Ecclestone would have been revelling in it this morning, for yesterday's antics have put Formula One back on the front pages, if only for the wrong reasons... again.

On the other hand, Chase Carey and Sean Bratches are no doubt to be found in a darkened room, cold towels on their foreheads as their vision of a family-friendly F1 takes a battering (no pun intended).

After all, not only were two drivers seen pushing one another - leading to one being ordered to do public service - moments later there were scantily clad women dancing on the podium. Nurse!!!

Joking aside however, as the finger pointing continues, FIA race director, Charlie Whiting, has made it clear how he feels.

In his post-race debrief, the Briton, when asked about the on-track incident, was in no doubt.

"He's absolutely allowed to un-lap himself," he said. "That's clear, it's happened many times in the past.

"However, you would expect it to be done safely," he continued. "More to the point it should be done cleanly and absolutely without fighting.

"He shouldn't be fighting to get past," he said of Ocon. "If he's got the pace then normally one would expect Red Bull to say 'Ocon's got the pace, just let him through', that sort of thing. But it seemed that he just went for it and it was a bit unfortunate that he decided to fight for it which was wholly unacceptable."

However, the Briton admits that the fact that Ocon was battling the race leader should not have influenced the stewards when making their decision.

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

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by The Canadian, 13/11/2018 3:21

"Max aggressively tried to shut the door like he was fighting Ocon for position. In his childlike arrogance, he assumed Ocon would back off. If he left half a lane in that turn, he’d have had a victory. Now, right or wrong, he has learned a life lesson..... oh yes, and ocon broke no rules trying to unlap himself. God forbid some thing happens on track that might make for more entertainment....f1, lol!"

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2. Posted by Batman, 12/11/2018 19:49

"Max Verstappen just tasted his hown poison. Someone have to tell him that he still is a boy because a man is made of experience, experience he don't really have. For the first time I completely support Lewis, Max had everything to lose ... and chose to lose it just because ego is much bigger than him. He's still a boy and someone at the pit wall forgot to tell him before he's decision to close the door to a driver, clearly quicker and in his own race. The stewards made a wrong decision, influenced by tha fact that the pilot who doesn't gave the space was leading the race."

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3. Posted by GregT, 12/11/2018 19:19

"If Whiting expects the leader to move aside to allow cars to unlap themselves, then it would be time for him to use the blue flag to indicate the need to allow the faster car to come through. After all, the rule for the blue flag is that it indicates a quicker car trying to come through, not necessarily a lead lap car. If he isn't going to show blue flags, then the lapped cars have to be able to fight just as if it's for position because if a lead lap car breaks down on the last lap, unlapping himself would truly make a difference in gaining that spot."

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4. Posted by Yeyox02, 12/11/2018 15:45

"Max Verstappen should think that one day he will be world champion and that Ocon is worthless.
The freedom of speech allows me to use plenty of words that are in ALL English, Spanish, German, French and many other dictionaries in order to say what I think of Ocon and what he did but many people in Europe and other places are scandalized and offended -there is a right word to name this- when someone says the truth with the correct words. If I did that, my comment could be erased and I would be banned from this site forever so as we say over here "Interpret my silence............." because the "Word is worth silver but the silence is worth gold"."

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5. Posted by *TestaRossa*, 12/11/2018 15:29

"Charlie does a very good job. Not easy in this snake pit."

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6. Posted by klmn, 12/11/2018 15:17

"Ocon maybe a nice guy but more a formula 3 driver with red mist problem he has taken out even his team mate already many times and always telling it is not his fault . Good he is is not in F1 next year. Max should have kicked his ar*** hard."

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7. Posted by ClarkwasGod, 12/11/2018 13:47

"Maybe the Red Bull pit wall could have warned Verstappen that Ocon was on fresh/faster tyres and a lap behind, and to just let him by.......pointing fingers afterwards doesn't, as far as I know, score any points."

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8. Posted by Pavlo, 12/11/2018 13:41

"Stitch431 - could you please explain, what in this incident was "fighting for the position"? He tried overtaking with a huge speed difference in T1, stayed inside in Q2 but slower than Max because had to leave the space for Max on the exit. Max saw him, but instead of slowing down (as he had to stay outside), pushed to cut the corner. The crash was inevitable if Max doesn't leave space - and he didn't.
Regarding the right to overtake and un-lap - Charlie clearly said it's allowed. And "overtake" means not only driving past someone on the straight.
From purely "rules perspective", there were no blue flags and the rules don't indicate that Ocon had to know it's Max or had to approach him differently. if not the team radio, Ocon may have expected it to be Ricciardo with the broken engine - in such conditions that would have been a clean move.
What's wrong about Charlie - he says that he expected RBR and Max to safely give way to faster un-lapping car, but makes Ocon guilty for that. How?
And to repeat, if you didn't notice - Max didn't overtake Ocon. Esteban was on out-lap after the pit, way faster than Max."

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9. Posted by jackois, 12/11/2018 12:57

"Forget the un-lapping and ask yourself, if it were for position, what would the stewards verdict be?

Racing incident? We won't ever know. If Charlie thinks it's wrong to un-lap, he should try and get the rules changed.

Saying that, there are so many overtakes, these days, where a driver on the racing line for a corner ends up giving way to avoid a coming together and damage, which are lauded by the commentary team and not 'seen' by the stewards... "

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10. Posted by Stitch431, 12/11/2018 12:38

"Charlie is absolutely right here. Ocon should not have been fighting for position, as he was one lap behind. I believe he would not have even considered doing this, if it were Hamilton in front of him..."

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11. Posted by Pavlo, 12/11/2018 10:18

"My brother just posted an amazing video.
Brazil GP 2001: race leader Montoya overtakes (!) Verstappen for for a lap, and Verstappen crashes into back destroying Montoya's car and taking him off the race. Not a second place, completely off. Not returning to the lap, but being overtaken under blue flags. And not Max, but Jos. Karma is coming :)"

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12. Posted by Pavlo, 12/11/2018 9:48

"Now it all gets even worse. Thanks Charlie for again wrong decision.
"absolutely allowed to un-lap himself" - so why is the penalty?
" ... he said of Ocon. ... one would expect Red Bull to say ..." - so penalize red Bull for not doing what they are expected! How Ocon is going to know what that the opposite team didn't do that?
"should be done cleanly and absolutely without fighting" - Ocon did a clean move, he was in front by Turn 1 and side-by-side in turn 2, that was not fighting. Fighting came from Max who as usual doesn't look at the mirrors and expects everyone to disappear.
"I don't think it makes any difference that he was a leader" - not true, it made a difference. It it was not Max, Ocon would get no penalty at all."

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Whiting says Ocon shouldn't have been fighting to un-lap himself

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