Vettel not dwelling on F1 penalty points despite nearing ban

Sebastian Vettel is not dwelling on his Formula 1 penalty points situation despite being just three away from a one-race ban after his latest misdemeanour at Monza.

Vettel received three penalty points on his FIA Super Licence after unsafely rejoining the track and causing a collision during Sunday's Italian Grand Prix, with the stewards labelling the move "dangerous".

Vettel not dwelling on F1 penalty points despite nearing ban

Sebastian Vettel is not dwelling on his Formula 1 penalty points situation despite being just three away from a one-race ban after his latest misdemeanour at Monza.

Vettel received three penalty points on his FIA Super Licence after unsafely rejoining the track and causing a collision during Sunday's Italian Grand Prix, with the stewards labelling the move "dangerous".

Vettel now has nine penalty points on his Super Licence. Any driver accruing 12 penalty points in a 12-month period receives an automatic one-race ban, with no points set to drop off Vettel's record until the Mexican Grand Prix at the end of October.

Vettel explained his thought-process when rejoining the circuit, admitting he underestimated how long it would take him to get back on-track.

"Obviously I didn't see anything," Vettel said.

"When I spun, I was looking the other way, I thought there was quite a bit of a gap. But then obviously you don't start counting, so I knew there would be cars coming.

"But originally I thought it would be much quicker rejoining."

Asked by Crash.net if he was mindful of his penalty points situation, Vettel said: "I don’t know. I'm not aware really."

The sanction handed to Vettel was the most severe option available to the race stewards at Monza short of showing him a black flag, which FIA race director Michael Masi revealed after the race was not a consideration.

No driver has received a ban under the new penalty points system since its introduction in 2014.

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