Yvan Muller given reprimand for causing second formation lap in Hungary

Citroën Racing’s Yvan Muller has been given a reprimand by the FIA stewards at the Hungaroring, after the pole position driver lined up in the wrong spot for the start of race one, forcing a second formation lap and the shortening of the race by one lap.

The Frenchman lined up one row ahead of the designated starting position, which caused problems further back as some drivers lined up against their markers and others in-line with the drivers in front, which left a gap on the grid ahead of Sébastien Loeb’s Citroën.

Yvan Muller claimed no knowledge of the cause of the aborted start during the gap between races, and still none of the drivers had any idea why the start was aborted during the post-race press conference.

“I don’t know what happened,” said José María López when probed about the start.

“You guys were in front and there was one place free, so somebody was in the wrong place for sure,” exchanged Tom Coronel.

“Normally I just have a red tape, I just follow the red tape, so maybe I was wrong,” joked López.

Muller’s reprimand is the second for the four-time champion in two race weekends after being given a reprimand after qualifying in Marrakech two weeks’ ago for slowing down in a dangerous manner during qualifying.

Should Muller pick up another reprimand, he will automatically pick up a 10-place grid penalty for the next race.