JUNE 24, 2012

Schumacher escapes DRS infringement

Michael Schumacher will keep the 15 points for the first podium of his F1 return in Valencia after post-race claims that he infringed the DRS regulations went unpenalised by race stewards.

Michael Schumacher will keep the 15 points for the first podium of his F1 return in Valencia after post-race claims that he infringed the DRS regulations went unpenalised by race stewards.

With Schumacher and Mark Webber battling for the final podium position in the closing stages of the race, the pair crossed the DRS activation line within range of Narain Karthikeyan's HRT, which they were about to lap.

The rules state that a driver may not use DRS in a yellow flag zone, however, and with yellows out at the time, Red Bull immediately radioed Webber and told him not to use the RFA (rear flap adjuster). Sebastian Vettel had received a Drive Through penalty for doing just that in Barcelona. Schumacher, however, did activate his.

Having lost his Monaco 'pole' to a race transgression in Barcelona, it looked as if Schumacher might suffer the same fate in Valencia with his podium, but race stewards ruled that they were satisfied that he had slowed down sufficiently.