by: Chris Medland July 8, 2018 12:09 PM Pierre Gasly says drivers need to be allowed to race after angrily describing his five-second time penalty in the British Grand Prix as “ridiculous.”Fighting over the final point in the closing laps, Gasly made light contact with Sergio Perez at Vale, leaving the Force India out of position for the following corner at Club and allowing the Frenchman to overtake after going side-by-side through the exit. The stewards opted to investigate the touch and handed Gasly a five-second time penalty that demoted him from 10th to 13th.

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The explanation read: “The Stewards felt that Gasly’s maneuvers were generally reasonable, and that he was attempting to make a good racing pass. Perez left his sufficient room throughout.“However, Gasly touched the sausage curb at the apex of Turn 16 which caused him to collide with Perez. This subsequently forced Perez off the track on driver’s left before Turn 17 and severely compromised his ability to race through Turns 17 and 18, and Gasly was thus able to pass Perez.“The Stewards determined that Gasly was wholly or predominantly to blame, and while the collision was light it led directly to the pass.”Reacting to the decision on Twitter, Gasly says drivers should be allowed to race each other harder and feels he was unfairly penalized.“5sec penalty, ridiculous…” Gasly wrote. “Every weekend there are contacts with no further action, that’s part of racing & what makes it exciting! Was close battle, I enjoyed it. Just let us race and stop all this bulls**t with penalties! Will keep fighting.”