Pierre Gasly is to seek talks with the FIA to clarify what he feels is their latest inconsistent judgment that ultimately pitched him out of the British Grand Prix.
Alpine driver Gasly found himself battling with Aston Martin rival Lance Stroll for 11th position through Stowe.
The Canadian completed an overtake but only after running wide, and opting not to hand the place back, as would ordinarily have been the case.
Despite the FIA stewards investigating, they ultimately decided the manoeuvre did not warrant a penalty, much to the frustration of Gasly.
“To me, it was quite clear, and it’s always been in the regulations – you can’t leave the track and gain an advantage,” he said to media after the race at Silverstone, including Speedcafe.
“From everything I’ve seen, he had four wheels off the track passing me, and that’s gaining an advantage.”
Referring to the track limits fiasco that unfolded last weekend during the Austrian Grand Prix, he added: “I got done 15 seconds last weekend for track limits. Now I lose a position with someone going off the track and nothing happens.
“In Formula 2, Victor Martins was in the lead and got a five-second penalty for exactly the same thing, so I’m just extremely confused with what’s going on at the moment.”
To rub salt into Gasly’s wounds, as he hunted Stroll to reclaim the position back, a collision between the pair resulted in the rear suspension breaking on the A523, forcing the Frenchman into retirement.
“It (the off-track pass) just changes what follows after that,” assessed Gasly.
“I’m just extremely disappointed because the first part of the race was going well, and then all our efforts get ruined with what followed. So disappointed.”
Gasly reiterated that as far as he was concerned, the regulations are crystal clear.
“If you go off the racetrack, you have got to give the position back, as simple as that,” he said.
“If you try (to overtake) and you’ve been off the racetrack, just give the position back. That’s what I’ve been told by the FIA, and I’ve paid the price in different situations.
“It’s just not fair not having that consistency. Now next race, I’m supposing that going off the line, off the racetrack to overtake someone is allowed.
“Then all of a sudden, you’re going to end up with a five-second penalty. I just can’t understand. It just doesn’t seem fair.
“It’s black and white, track limits; black and white, you are either on or off the track. Off the track gaining an advantage, that’s a five-second penalty or you give the position back.”
Asked by Speedcafe whether he would speak with the FIA to gain clarification, he replied: “Yeah, it’s got to be crystal clear. We’re racing at 350kph.
“Last week we got penalised for stuff where we feel like we’re not getting the warning properly, and this situation for me, as soon as I saw him going off the race racetrack, I was like ‘He’ll give the position back’.
“I spent three laps behind him losing time, in his gearbox, and I should not be there.
“I’m just asking for consistency. If that’s a lot, fine, but it’s going to be a lot for everyone.”
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