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AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly says he’s embarrassed to be one incident away from a possible race ban after amassing ten penalty factors on his superlicence this 12 months.
If Gasly notches up one other two factors on his licence earlier than Could subsequent 12 months, when the primary of his factors will expire, he can be pressured to overlook a race beneath F1’s penalty factors guidelines.
He was issued along with his tenth penalty level on the final race in Mexico when he ran Lance Stroll extensive at Flip 4 to take a place, and he was given the primary two of his present ten on the Spanish Grand Prix when he precipitated a collision with Stroll.
Solely 5 of his ten factors are a results of incidents with different drivers and Gasly, who’s discussing the problem with the FIA in an try to discover a decision, believes his driving requirements haven’t warranted a race ban.
“I am not going to lie, it is a very disagreeable state of affairs, and fairly delicate,” he mentioned forward of this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix. “In some methods additionally, it is a bit embarrassing to be standing able the place I may very well be banned for a race after the season I’ve performed.
“I do not actually really feel like I have been notably harmful over the past 12 months, and that might positively be a harsh penalty. However there’s been lots of dialogue with the FIA, looking for an answer as a result of personally, I wish to do all of the races, I wish to end the season in the easiest way I can with AlphaTauri.”
Subsequent 12 months, Gasly will transfer from AlphaTauri to Alpine and he’s cautious that his precarious place may imply he misses a vital race along with his new staff subsequent season.
“I wish to do all of the races in 2023 and get the utmost possibilities to carry out for Alpine,” he added. “Clearly, there’s a lot at stake as a result of nobody is aware of what is going on to occur in 2023, I may find yourself with an incredible automotive, preventing for the championship, for instance.
“I am unable to take the danger to be banned for a race and lose all my hopes for the championship. It is a very tough state of affairs. I have been discussing quite a bit with the FIA to attempt to discover options, as a result of the way in which the laws are written in the meanwhile, it is fairly strict on the drivers and fairly harsh penalties, regardless that it is not all the time associated to harmful driving. Undoubtedly, the penalties have large repercussions on the groups and drivers within the championship.”
Gasly is hopeful a compromise can be discovered earlier than this weekend’s motion in Sao Paulo in order that he would not find yourself able the place he may very well be banned from his ultimate race with AlphaTauri.
“I do hope we’re going to have extra conversations at this time however I do hope we are able to discover a resolution forward of the weekend to finish up in a foolish state of affairs the place I will be banned for a race weekend. That will be horrible for myself and positively not the way in which that I’ve seen the game rising up. I do not suppose that is the right method.
“Clearly, I am unable to actually go into subsequent 12 months with solely two factors and that threat over my head. However on the identical time, in the meanwhile there isn’t any clear resolution so hopefully there could be a good plan going ahead for 2023.”
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