Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Australia

Bolukbasi fined after paddock altercation between father, Nissany's trainer

Charouz Racing System's Cem Bolukbasi has been fined €5000 after his father and Roy Nissany’s trainer were involved in an altercation in the FIA Formula 2 paddock.

Nissany Bolukbasi

In Sunday’s feature race, Bolukbasi and Nissany’s races were both ended after the DAMS driver locked up into Turn 2, putting both drivers into the barriers.

Nissany said over the radio that Bolukbasi was an “idiot” after the collision, despite the FIA ruling he had been “wholly at fault” for the collision and receiving a three-place grid penalty for the next race, as well as one penalty point, as a result.

The FIA said that after the incident, Yavuz Bolukbasi and Cem’s manager, Temucin Unalp went to the DAMS tent.

Bolukbasi’s father admitted that he lost his temper when he thought that Nissany made a derogatory comment about his son, and thus had a “heated verbal exchange” with the Israeli driver, who is also a test driver for Williams in Formula 1.

Nissany’s trainer, Francesco Martinez, then became involved, and there was “some pushing and physical contact between the father and the trainer.”

It was added that “no punches were exchanged and the unwanted guests were removed from the area.”

Yavuz Bolukbasi has had his credentials withdrawn for the next round in Silverstone, and his son is liable to pay the fine within 48 hours.

The FIA statement said: “At no time will physical violence, nor the threat of such be tolerated. In keeping with ISC Art 9.15.1 Competitors are responsible for all acts of persons to whom they have given access to the Reserved Areas.

“The threat of violence and the actual minor scuffle that took place as initiated by Mr Bolukbasi are determined to be a breach of ISC 12.2.1(c). Accordingly the Driver is fined and the individual initiating the offence is sanctioned.”

A Charouz Racing System representative told Motorsport.com: "From the team side it is quite difficult as we were still on the pit wall at the time so we did not see what happened. That said obviously the team does not condone the actions of Cem's father and the FIA have taken the proper corrective steps which the team fully supports."

Following the publication of the story, Yavuz Bolukbasi has since issued a statement to Motorsport.com.  

"I see a benefit in correcting the FIA statement," read the statement from Yavuz Bolukbasi. "We are in the neighbour tents with Roy Nissany's team Dams. After the accident, I went to their tent to discuss the word he used for Cem, and Nissany swore heavily at me. After that there was a verbal argument between us.

"Temuçin Ünalp (Cem's manager) came up to calm me down and we went back to our garage.

"Roy Nissany's father came to our garage after hearing about the incident and apologised to us. And then he came with Roy Nissany, and they apologised to us, and we sort the situation out, everything was fine.

"The FIA, fined me according to the rules. I'm also banned from the paddock for one race.

"This punishment was not given to Cem. In this way, I wanted to give the right information from the first person."

It was Bolukbasi’s second DNF of the weekend, after his sprint race was ended when Campos Racing’s Ralph Boschung put Calan Williams into the wall before Bolukbasi and Virtuosi’s Marino Sato made contact with the side of his stricken Trident car.

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Cordeel banned for Silverstone F2 round over penalty points
Next article Australian GP to stay on F1 calendar until 2035, adds F2 & F3

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Australia