04/11/2019
NEWS STORY
Just seven days after being handed a time penalty that dropped him out of the points in Mexico, Daniil Kvyat incurred a similar penalty for a similar offence in Austin.
While in Mexico the Russian was deemed to have caused a last lap collision with Nico Hulkenberg, which promoted the German back into the points, the Toro Rosso driver was similarly found to have caused a collision with Sergio Perez on the last lap of yesterday's race.
Handed a 5s time penalty - and a further penalty point - Kvyat was thereby demoted from tenth to twelfth, promoting the Mexican to tenth.
"Ah f***, that's bullshit," said Kvyat when told of the penalty, that was issued just minutes after the offence.
"It's unbelievable," he added. "I don't know, the stewards are completely... I have no words. It's stupid, so stupid."
Explaining their decision, the stewards said that Perez was in front immediately prior to the apex of the corner, when Kvyat "dived” down the inside, had a small lock-up and bounced off the kerb, which moved his car to the outside of the exit of the corner, colliding with the Mexican.
"I just went round the inside and he closed the door as normal," insisted the Russian after the race, "then we touched and I overtook him around the outside.
"I think was a harsh but fair move," he added. "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 unacceptable really."
Check out our Sunday gallery from Austin, here.