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Mark Webber has branded the punishment meted out to him for hitching a ride on Fernando Alonso's Ferrari during the 2013 Singapore F1 GP as as "comical". "The fans loved it."
LONDON, England - Mark Webber has branded his punishment for hitching a ride on Fernando Alonso's Ferrari as "comical". It was his third reprimand of the 2013 season and meant an automatic 10-place grid penalty.
The penalties were imposed on the Red Bull driver by the race stewards for the stunt at the 2013 Singapore GP. Alonso was merely reprimanded.
Image gallery: Webber, Alonso taxi tweets
The stewards' decisions have been a talking point since the Singapore race.
'FANS LOVED IT'
Webber said on Twitter: "To receive reprimands for our actions after the race it is comical to say the least. Great moment, and fans loved it. While I'm at it, contrary to reports, there was no interaction at all with any track officials after we put the fire out."
Webber retired on the last lap of the race on the Marina Bay street circuit after his car ran out of coolant and the engine caught fire.
He ran back out on to the floodlit track to wave down Alonso's Ferrari, which other cars had to swerve to avoid because it was parked on the racing line, to ride to the pits.
Mercedes's Lewis Hamilton, one of those who took evasive action, said he was shocked when he came round the corner. Hamilton said: "If Mark had been walking where I went then I would have run him over."
'WE'VE BECOME A BIT STERILE'
Singapore GP steward and former F1 driver Derek Warwick said the reprimands were fully justified because of the danger posed: "It is not health-and-safety gone mad. A driver could easily have been hurt. I hope we're not seen as killjoys. I want F1 to be entertaining. I want it to be a spectacle. I'm a big fan of MotoGP and I wish F1 could get closer to the drivers as they do in MotoGP.
"We've become a bit sterile in many ways in F1 but we cannot put drivers at risk. If it had been done in a safer manner then it might have been viewed differently. You can't have cars parked in the middle of a corner."
Webber also posted a picture on his Twitter account of Warwick hitching a ride on the back of Gerhard Berger's Ferrari at the 1988 Japanese GP as well as other photographs of similar incidents over the years.
Webber said: "Looks like even one of the Singapore stewards has done it...#C'est la vie."
Alonso also made light of the incident, posting on Twitter an altered poster for the 2004 movie 'Taxi' with his and Webber's names at the top and their faces super-imposed in a New York yellow cab.
Alonso said:"Ey @AussieGrit! Ready for Hollywood..?"
LONDON, England - Mark Webber has branded his punishment for hitching a ride on Fernando Alonso's Ferrari as "comical". It was his third reprimand of the 2013 season and meant an automatic 10-place grid penalty.
The penalties were imposed on the Red Bull driver by the race stewards for the stunt at the 2013 Singapore GP. Alonso was merely reprimanded.
Image gallery: Webber, Alonso taxi tweets
The stewards' decisions have been a talking point since the Singapore race.
'FANS LOVED IT'
Webber said on Twitter: "To receive reprimands for our actions after the race it is comical to say the least. Great moment, and fans loved it. While I'm at it, contrary to reports, there was no interaction at all with any track officials after we put the fire out."
Webber retired on the last lap of the race on the Marina Bay street circuit after his car ran out of coolant and the engine caught fire.
He ran back out on to the floodlit track to wave down Alonso's Ferrari, which other cars had to swerve to avoid because it was parked on the racing line, to ride to the pits.
Mercedes's Lewis Hamilton, one of those who took evasive action, said he was shocked when he came round the corner. Hamilton said: "If Mark had been walking where I went then I would have run him over."
'WE'VE BECOME A BIT STERILE'
Singapore GP steward and former F1 driver Derek Warwick said the reprimands were fully justified because of the danger posed: "It is not health-and-safety gone mad. A driver could easily have been hurt. I hope we're not seen as killjoys. I want F1 to be entertaining. I want it to be a spectacle. I'm a big fan of MotoGP and I wish F1 could get closer to the drivers as they do in MotoGP.
"We've become a bit sterile in many ways in F1 but we cannot put drivers at risk. If it had been done in a safer manner then it might have been viewed differently. You can't have cars parked in the middle of a corner."
Webber also posted a picture on his Twitter account of Warwick hitching a ride on the back of Gerhard Berger's Ferrari at the 1988 Japanese GP as well as other photographs of similar incidents over the years.
Webber said: "Looks like even one of the Singapore stewards has done it...#C'est la vie."
Alonso also made light of the incident, posting on Twitter an altered poster for the 2004 movie 'Taxi' with his and Webber's names at the top and their faces super-imposed in a New York yellow cab.
Alonso said:"Ey @AussieGrit! Ready for Hollywood..?"
