Four track-limits breaches, no penalty: why Antonelli escaped in Singapore
The championship leader left the track four times in Singapore. The FIA waived the usual five-second penalty because of brake problems Mercedes had discussed over the radio.
Archive image · Photo: Liauzh / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Andrea Kimi Antonelli exceeded track limits four times at the Singapore Grand Prix and still escaped a penalty. According to formel1.de, three breaches came in the first half of the race – twice at Turn 2 and once at Turn 19 – with the fourth shortly afterwards at Turn 7. That would normally bring a five-second penalty, but it would not have changed the result: the Mercedes driver finished third, 15.9 seconds ahead of Lando Norris.
An FIA spokesperson cited brake problems that Mercedes had discussed over the radio; the stewards accepted this as a valid reason, and Antonelli had gained no advantage. Team principal Toto Wolff told PlanetF1 the brakes overheated after the pit stop: "I think it was after the stop, and that is why the brake went long." Antonelli said he almost went into the wall during the virtual safety car period.
After 17 of 22 rounds the Italian leads the standings on 340 points from team-mate George Russell (238) and Lewis Hamilton (229). According to F1-Insider he can clinch the title in Austin on 25 October – by winning, provided Russell finishes no higher than tenth and Hamilton no higher than fifth.