Roberto Mehri excluded from Formula Renault race

[F1fanaticBD]

Had it happened in F1, would they be this hard on the driver? I know Romain Grosjean has been punished with such verdict, but my question lies on which ground he would have been punished? Endangering safety of others? 
http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/13248069/roberto-merhi-excluded-formula-renault-35-races

[John S]

I find this a easy one to call BD, deffo Mehri's fault.  Asleep at the wheel seems to be the phrase that fits best. 

So in answer to your question I think F1 stewards would react the same way.

On the video I've posted below it looks very nasty & avoidable shunt, Mehri just seems bring the car to a crawl after the finish line. Now he claims he had an issue with his car - well maybe  - but shouldn't he have pulled much further to the right then, other guys were still fighting each other at racing speed for places at the finish.

[F1fanaticBD]

Thank you for the video John,   

Now I am more confused than before, he was not blocking the racing line, and if you could see the other cars, they never went his way. One could argue he should have bee more to the right, but I doubt it would have avoided the accident as Latifi was really on the charge. Excluding him for this seems pretty harsh, I am not saying its wrong, but its harsh.

[Scott]

I find the whole tradition of slowing in front of your pit box to be annoying and obviously in this case, dangerous. 

The drivers can hug and congratulate the team in the pits after another lap. 

In this case I will side with John.  I don't think he was asleep at the wheel though, just showed complete disrespect for other drivers behind him.  Good, you got 4th, now drive around and pit the car.  The guy who plotted into the back of him was fighting for a place he might have actually managed to get if he didn't have to slam the brakes on and prepare for a massive collision.  Ban Mehri for a couple of races for creating a very dangerous situation.

On a straightaway, there IS no racing line.  Every last bit of the asphalt is for racing.

[cosworth151]

I'm glad they were both unhurt and that Lafiti was able to swerve at the last moment. At least he didn't spear Mehri full tilt nose first.

I agree with the decision. Mehri had no business slowing to a crawl on a live track that way. It was a thoughtless, dangerous move.

[Alianora La Canta]

Merhi reckoned he had a suspension problem on Twitter... ...which doesn't answer the question of why he left the car there, of all places. Even taken at face value, I'd have to exclude him for gross carelessness!

In F1, they'd probably get 100 lines and a 10-place grid penalty.

[lkjohnson1950]

I have to throw some blame at Lafiti. He had room on either side to avoid a collision and it looked like he had time to move. He either didn't realize how slowly Mehri was going or he froze. Major blame to Mehri, side of blame to Lafiti.

[F1fanaticBD]

I have to throw some blame at Lafiti. He had room on either side to avoid a collision and it looked like he had time to move. He either didn't realize how slowly Mehri was going or he froze. Major blame to Mehri, side of blame to Lafiti.

I don't blame Latifi, but he had the chance to avoid, I am not saying Mehri should not be punished, but excluding him from a competition where each appearence is worth millions in contract in future, seems a bit harsh. Did stewards punished him because he is a full time F1 driver, and may repeat the gesture in a grand prix, so better kill the bird early?