Breaking news
WTCC Termas de Rio Hondo
Chilton says Ehrlacher clash penalty too harsh
Tom Chilton says the penalty for clashing with Lada driver Yann Ehrlacher that cost him victory in the opening Termas de Rio Hondo WTCC race was harsh.
Federico Faturos
Edited: Jul 18, 2017, 4:56 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Sebastien Loeb Racing driver Chilton won last Sunday's reversed-grid race on the road but dropped to fourth in the classification after five seconds were added to his time.
The Briton started his Citroen C-Elysee from second and hounded the pole-sitting RC Motorsport Lada Vesta of Ehrlacher off the line before moving to the outside in the braking zone at the end of the long back straight.
Chilton cut back for the inside line through the Turn 5 hairpin but made contact with Ehrlacher, forcing the Lada wide and allowing Chilton to take the lead.
He then built a comfortable advantage before being slapped with the penalty with two-and-a-half laps to go.
Despite efforts to increase his lead, Chilton ended up being classified in fourth, with Ehrlacher inheriting a first WTCC win.
"I'm obviously very frustrated," Chilton told Motorsport.com. "I wanted to win there again, like I did last year, and I did cross the finish line 3.4 seconds in the lead. But I did it by hitting somebody."
Chilton said Ehrlacher's Lada had blocked off the apex after he had moved to the inside.
"The problem is Yann stopped the car on the apex too much, so I didn't have anywhere to go," he said. "The tyres were in the way so I couldn't cut the corner, which I normally do, so I hit him.
"Touring cars is very different to other racing. If you nudge somebody because of a situation like that and you stay on the Tarmac, you both finish first and second, you don't both damage your cars.
"I didn't maliciously go out of my way to hit him off the track or something like that. It wasn't a nasty move. To get a five-second penalty felt harsh.
"I couldn't push too early [after being informed of his penalty] because there was a yellow flag. As soon as the yellow flag went down I pulled out a bit, but it was only half a second per lap.
"I couldn't gain five seconds so I finished fourth, which I'm really upset about."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Kubica intrigue mounts as Hungary test plans fall into place
Next article Sainz says he's learned from Red Bull confusion
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Federico Faturos
Pierre Gasly calls social media abuse “completely inappropriate” after Franco Colapinto incident in Spanish GP
Formula 1
Formula 1
Pierre Gasly calls social media abuse “completely inappropriate” after Franco Colapinto incident in Spanish GP
What Colapinto learned from Gasly's Monza pole to make his Madrid breakthrough
Formula 1
Formula 1
Spanish GP
What Colapinto learned from Gasly's Monza pole to make his Madrid breakthrough
Franco Colapinto in tears after a “big mistake” cost him a shot at the front in Italian GP
Formula 1
Formula 1
Italian GP
Franco Colapinto in tears after a “big mistake” cost him a shot at the front in Italian GP
More from
Tom Chilton
Chilton joins Excelr8 Hyundai for 2022 BTCC season
BTCC
BTCC
Chilton joins Excelr8 Hyundai for 2022 BTCC season
Croft BTCC: Chilton wins wet final race from pole
BTCC
BTCC
Croft
Croft BTCC: Chilton wins wet final race from pole
"Dangerous" Blundell should consider BTCC exit - Chilton
BTCC
BTCC
Thruxton
"Dangerous" Blundell should consider BTCC exit - Chilton
More from
Sébastien Loeb Racing
Sepang WTCR: Michelisz crowned champion in dramatic finale
WTCR
WTCR
Sepang
Sepang WTCR: Michelisz crowned champion in dramatic finale
Nurburgring WTCR: Leuchter wins dramatic final race
WTCR
WTCR
Nürburgring
Nurburgring WTCR: Leuchter wins dramatic final race
Nurburgring WTCR: Kristoffersson claims maiden win
WTCR
WTCR
Nürburgring
Nurburgring WTCR: Kristoffersson claims maiden win
Latest news
NASCAR makes amends for 2004 Dale Earnhardt Jr. swearing fine
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Talladega II
15 min
NASCAR makes amends for 2004 Dale Earnhardt Jr. swearing fine
Franco Colapinto, George Russell to sit out FP1 at F1 Mexico GP
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
25 min
Franco Colapinto, George Russell to sit out FP1 at F1 Mexico GP
Rally US reveals further details ahead of WRC 2027 return
WRC
WRC WRC 27 min
Rally US reveals further details ahead of WRC 2027 return
The mistakes that cost Lewis Hamilton a podium at F1’s US GP
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
1 h
The mistakes that cost Lewis Hamilton a podium at F1’s US GP
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe