Planet-F1

Fisichella handed a 25-sec penalty

Sunday 20th July 2008

Giancarlo Fisichella has been handed a 25-second penalty by the German race stewards, dropping him from 14th to 17th in the overall classification.

Following Sunday's grand prix the Hockenheim stewards deemed that Fisichella had breached Article 40.12 of the sporting regulations by unlapping himself when he was not allowed to.

The article states: "When the clerk of the course considers it safe to do so, and the message "LAPPED CARS MAY NOW OVERTAKE" is shown on the timing monitors, any lapped cars which were between the cars running on the lead lap at the time the safety car was deployed (and also remain in that position) will be required to pass the cars on the lead lap and the Safety Car."

Fisichella, however, broke the rule.

"While the Safety Car was deployed, the driver of car 21 chose to enter the pits before 'Lapped cars may now overtake' was shown on the timing monitors," said the stewards' statement. "Having done so the driver of car 21 on leaving the pit lane should then not have unlapped himself."