Should Sergio Pérez have been fined? Ferrari lodged a protest against Red Bull, but it was rejected by the FIA

Sergio Pérez won his third race in his F1 career, and in a place where everyone wants to win. However, according to Ferrari, he was acting illegally at the exit of the pits, as the rules say. However, the FIA rejected the Italian team’s protest and the standings remained unchanged.

Apart from Mick Schumacher’s horrific crash, the Monaco Grand Prix offered a very dynamic, at times even turbulent course.

Thanks to red flags, dynamic pit stops, poor communication by Ferrari and also thanks to a great strategy, the seventh race of the season was won by Mexican Pérez, who became the best Mexican driver in Formula 1 ever.

However, Ferrari lodged a protest against Red Bull after the race as both drivers crossed the yellow line on lap 23 of the race when exiting the pits, which was subsequently investigated by the sporting commissaires.

However, they rejected Ferrari’s protest, allowing the final results of the Monaco Grand Prix to be officially confirmed. As a precedent, Red Bull cited the same offence committed by Júki Cunoda at last year’s Austrian Grand Prix.

Red Bull, on the other hand, defended itself by claiming that both cars had nevertheless kept to the right side when leaving the pits, as required by the FIA International Sporting Code, meaning that no infringement had occurred.

Red Bull also defended itself by claiming that Pérez and Verstappen had simply “slipped up” due to the difficult track conditions. The stewards agreed with Red Bull’s views, noting that neither Pérez’s nor Verstappen’s left wheel was all the way past the yellow line at the exit of the pits.

Pérez was thus close to Leclerc, second in the drivers’ championship, who despite his starting position only finished fourth. Verstappen increased his lead at the top of the world championship to nine points thanks to his third place.

Red Bull also increased its lead at the top of the Constructors’ Cup to thirty-six points. You can also see the current team standings below.

Sources