[MKSixer]

To me this was a clean cut and proper decision. One of the first things taught to novice racers is "safe return to the track after an incident". In some cases there are circumstances that make it impossible to return to the track safely because the car has transitioned and become a missile. In those instances, there should be no penalty for the unsafe return. In other cases, like this and Japan with VER last year, there is a decision made by the driver to keep a rival behind them despite the fact that they are re-entering the track and have an obligation to do so safely and affecting other drivers as little as possible.

VET failed in this obligation. He kept his foot in it (listen to the car) AND opened his steering to drift the car rightwards AFTER he regained control of the car. This is an illegal move. Had HAM was forced off the track (the white line, not the curbing define the track limits) and had to brake to avoid the collision AFTER the Mercedes was halfway up the side of the Ferrari. Watch it from the different camera positions and it's plain to see. It was a deliberate move and the penalty, while harsh, was appropriate and with precedence.

In an ideal world I would have rather seen them make VET give up the spot an give us 10 or 12 laps of the Ferrari chasing the Mercedes. That would have been a great outcome but the rules constrained the officials in that respect.

Cheers-mk