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Force India drivers Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon will no longer have the freedom to race after they made contact twice during the Belgian Grand Prix. The decision comes as tensions were already high at the Silverstone-based squad, and this race did not mark the first time the pair had been involved in an altercation this year.
At the start of the race, Perez bumped into Ocon as they ran three-wide towards Eau Rouge with Nico Hulkenberg. While Ocon says that he could forgive Perez for that particular incident, the Frenchman was eventually left furious later on in the race as they collided at the same spot. Ocon obtained damage to his front wing while Perez was landed with a punctured tyre.
"In the future they’ll never have that opportunity [to race] again," said Force India COO Otmar Szafnauer. "We let them race up till now and if they can’t do that in a manner that is good for the team, then they won’t be racing anymore.
"They shouldn’t be coming together. We’ve given them the latitude to race and I’ve always said that, but we told them if a Baku-type incident happens again we’ll be calling races from the pit wall in the future. Once it gets to the point of safety margins and crashing into each other then we’ve got to take it into our hands."
Fergal Walsh
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Replies (8)
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Posts: 1,874
"In the future they’ll never have that opportunity [to race] again."
I wouldn't be too sure of that. If Perez moves to another team for 2018 they will certainly race each other again.
Maximaal Verslapen
Posts: 330
But the question is who would want Perez in his team after the incidents at Spa?
Pushing his teammate into the wall with 250+km/h, twice...
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Posts: 1,874
I certainly wouldn't want to have that psychopath in my team. But than again: I don't own a team. ;-) Yet the Williams-family do own a team and as we all know they are fond of money. And the little psychopath is sponsored by one of the richest men in the world...
ajpennypacker
Posts: 2,475
It was bad. But it wasn't anything Vettel and Schumacher haven't done in the past. So get over it. Pérez is still a top talent unless this incident affects him.
f1fan0101
Posts: 1,804
Probably the right call.. although I want to see cars flat out racing, I can understand the call from the team. Its happened way too many times
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Yeah, and it hasnt been minor incidents either. The second incident at Spa could've ended badly.
Alonzo
Posts: 66
Otmar should also be angry & blaming the team, they put them together by bringing in PER first, who was behind Ocon, after a couple of fast laps by PER Ocon came out behind him & was pretty upset, clearly this 2 hot-heads can stay away from each other... I mostly blame the team.... The have let this thing grow out of control....
Alonzo
Posts: 66
*Can't