F2 Driver Ferrucci Banned for Deliberate Contact

[Paul Jeffrey]

Haas junior and Trident F2 driver Santino Ferrucci has received a four race ban for deliberate contact during the British Grand Prix F2 support race earlier today.

American Ferrucci, a Haas F1 junior driver and second year Formula Two driver has been awarded a four race, two event race ban in Formula Two this afternoon, handed down by the Silverstone race stewards following a deliberate collision with his Trident F2 team mate Arjun Maini following the conclusion of the F2 Sprint Race on Sunday morning at Silverstone.

Ferrucci, 20, will miss the next two rounds in Hungary and Spa following his punishment announcement today, and potentially the American could be looking at the end of his short career in the Formula One supporting category, something Trident have hinted at on social media following the conclusion of the action on track in Great Britain.

Ferrucci was seen to make contact with his Trident team mate following the end of the Sprint Race at Silverstone, the American running into the rear of team mate Maini, an indiscretion that would cost the driver a tasty €60,000 fine alongside his race ban. Adding further fuel to the fire, Ferrucci would also be reportedly seen to be driving his F2 car in the paddock area without wearing one of his race gloves, and holding a mobile phone.. something strictly against the safety rules under current Formula 2 regulations. Found guilty alongside his more serious incident on track, Ferrucci would be handed a further €6000 fine by the FIA.

The slowing down lap crash wouldn't be the first incident between Ferrucci and Maini this weekend either, both drivers having come to blows on the circuit earlier in the event when Ferrucci, currently 18th in the F2 standings, was deemed to have run his team mate off the road during Saturday's feature race action, receiving a time penalty for his troubles in that incident as well...

With Trident understandably angry at the behaviour of one of its drivers, Haas Team Principal Gunther Steiner also confirmed the US Formula One team would be reviewing the incident after the Grand Prix:

"I’m aware of the incident, I’ve seen it once on TV when they showed the race," he said. "I didn’t really realise, I didn’t hear the audio, but I was made aware that there are some problems.

"I said I’m not gonna deal with them today, because we have a race to go to.

"I’m gonna deal with them in the week so I will get more information. I’m aware something happened but at the moment I don’t have enough information to comment on it."
​

A poor show of behaviour in what was a great weekend of racing at Silverstone, and potentially the last time Ferrucci will sit in a Formula Two car during his career, or at least for Trident anyway...

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What do you make of the incident and subsequent ban for Ferrucci? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[James Egan]

What a way to ruin a career

 

[KODIAK]

tried looking up his name to see the incident, but all I got were other crashes of him.

might be a sign.

 

[farjam]

It seems he drives at IndyCar too , 2 races in 2018

 

[VirtuaIceMan]

 

[Jordan Dion]

Thx for the video
That move was so loser.... It's like on Kunos public server haha

 

[howitzer155mm]

2 rules I have always tried to apply to racing and everyday life. Be humble, and be patient.
No idea what was going through his mind, but whatever it was, it ain't worth it.

 

[Isaac Chavira]

Great now we have zero American drivers in any F Sport.

 

[Durge Driven]

I don't think the punishment is tough enough

He should have to do 4 weekends racing in online rookie room

 

[Raikku]

There has to be these live fast, die young, leave the beautiful corpse-style guys. They bring some drama and action.

 

[Will Mazeo]

There has to be these live fast, die young, leave the beautiful corpse-style guys. They bring some drama and action.

If it was in NASCAR or Indycar they'd be probably promoting it all over the place, sure he'd gett punished (less hard than what he got) but would be promoted regardless.
But then in these days where anything offend anyone you go cause a crash on purpose in a european series.... right in a european series, the place with the highest amount of offended people... dude is dumb as hell, damaged his career big time.

 

[Terry Rock]

Great now we have zero American drivers in any F Sport.

Wow!
What a dumb move that was.
66000 euro, four race bans and most likely exclusion from his race seat/team, as well as any possible future promotion to an F1 seat.
You can't fix stupid.

 

[RustyDriver00]

I hate to say it but this just makes me think of Vettel and the absurdly minor penalty he was given.

 

[Tormentor]

Compared to Vettel-Hamilton last year in Baku this is very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very hard.

 

[DND]

Very disappointing. I was just talking him up to a buddy earlier today as a possible seat at HAAS. The contact was minor, the impact will be harder to dismiss.

Would be nice to have a legitimate driver from the USA in F1. The wait continues.

 

[DND]

Compared to Vettel-Hamilton last year in Baku this is very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very hard.

established superstars compared to a prospect might be the contributing factor

 

[Christian Moreau]

Now, to actually contribute to the conversation, I went on Youtube and looked this guy up. The first 10 or so videos say all that needs to be said. There's no place in motorsport for unsportsmanlike crap like that. The ban is warranted.

 

[Terry Rock]

Compared to Vettel-Hamilton last year in Baku this is very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very hard.

Teams invest a lot of money into their equipment.
Throughout the year, they spend time trying to 'drum up' sponsorship from companies...many of whom are track-side to see where their money is invested.
Intentionally crashing into any opponent is bad.
Doing it to your own teammate and causing financial penalty to said team is always frowned upon.

 

[Diogo Goetz Brand]

But Vettel fanboys say it's okay to intentionally cause contact, even if it's under a Safety Car.

Honestly? 2 weekends are far too little, he probably already ruined his position within the team and maybe even his whole future.

 

[Bernd Graf]

They say the brain doesn't stop growing until about 25...he's got 5 years more of utter stupid.