Huff and Monteiro confounded by penalties (updated)
Rob Huff and Tiago Monteiro are at a loss to understand the drive through penalties they both received, which robbed them of strong results at Oschersleben. Update: Both drivers receive additional penalties of suspended grid drops for seperate incidents.
Speaking to TouringCarTimes, Rob Huff said he didn’t understand why he received a penalty, with the contact that forced him into Augusto Farfus coming from behind as the pack shuffled round the first corner.
Huff also questioned why the incident was not investigated post race as the majority of on track incidents have been before, as Chevrolet had no opportunity to protest a drive through penalty, especially one that they felt was so particularly undeserved.
The ruling seemed to set the scene for race two, when Tiago Monteiro was penalised with a drive through after contact with team mate Nykjaer & the Zengo-Dension SEAT of Norbert Michelisz.
Speaking to TouringCarTimes, Tiago said:
“They (the contact) were not intentional and I can improve that easily with the data, as the drivers in front of me made mistakes, and the closed the door like there was nobody there. They need to understand that there is somebody there.”
Monteiro was also frustrated by the lack of consistency in the rulings.
“At Brands Hatch, and so many races this year I’ve been put out in a lot worst situations than that one and nothing happens, and now, as soon as you touch somebody you get a drive through”
“I don’t understand what they’re trying to do, but it’s their decision, I have to accept it.”
UPDATE!
After these interviews, Rob Huff was also punished for an incident in race two with Norbert Michelisz.
Tiago Monteiro also received an a further penalty (or possibly a seperate decision for his contact with both Michelisz and Nykjaer, this is unclear at present).
Monteiro received an additional stop and go penalty (turned into a 30 second time penalty), as well as both drivers being given a 10 place grid drop, suspended for two races.
