Quote Originally Posted by Nitrodaze View Post
Post-race, after Vettel was instructed to make his way quickly to the podium presentation, the stewards decided they would dish out a ten second penalty to Vettel for collision with Ricciado, after all ceremonies have concluded. Weird ????

If you are thinking the stewards are clowns, you would not be alone. The situation is highly comical to say the least. Ricciado aggressively stuck his nose in, Vettel simply closed the door. The way Ricciado went about it, left Vettel with little option but to do what he did. I think this is a covert way of punishing him for his colorful language on the radio. Whichever way you look at it, it is very abnormal and confusing from a spectator's perspective that the stewards would make one decision which resulted in Verstapenn being unceremoniously ejected from the podium and then later change their mind to eject the replacement of Verstapenn on the podium.

The confusion would suggest that Ricciado is gifted an undeserved podium. How nonsensical, this is the worst showing of an F1 stewardship.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/motorspo...dcddd73b8370b3
ONE WEEK AGO
The key to Sebastian Vettel’s post-race penalty came one week ago, just ahead of the US Grand Prix at Austin. FIA Race Director Charlie Whiting issued an amendment to the rules of engagement for defensive driving.

The amended rule is reproduced in full below.

16) Defensive manoeuvres
16.1 Article 27.5 of the Sporting Regulations states that “ … no car may be driven … in a manner which could be potentially dangerous to other drivers…”, furthermore, Article 27.8 prohibits any manoeuvre “ … liable to hinder other drivers, such as … any abnormal change of direction”.

With this in mind, and with the exception of any move permitted by Article 27.6, any change of direction under braking which results in another driver having to take evasive action will be considered abnormal and hence potentially dangerous to other drivers. Any such move will be reported to the stewards.

The rule essentially outlawed any driver from changing their line under braking in order to fend off a passing move. It was nicknamed the “Verstappen rule” in the wake of criticism of the Red Bull teenager’s defensive techniques against Kimi Raikkonen in Hungary and Lewis Hamilton in Japan.

This rule change would be the key to what unfolded after the chequered flag at Hermanos Rodriguez.