Runners-up left angry after Citroen C1 24 Hour Rockingham track limit penalties

Track limit penalties issued during the Citroen C1 24 Hour race at Rockingham have caused anger with the team that lost a potential victory because of them earlier this month.

Team Rockingham received two stop-go penalties – one minute and two minutes – in the final hour after it was adjudged to have cut the first chicane, used instead of the Turn 1 banking.

The team eventually finished 1m26.328s behind winners Citron D’equipe, who were also awarded a one-minute stop-go penalty in the final hour for the same offence.

Team Rockingham driver Michael Galjaardt has now questioned the timing of the penalties and also why series officials were acting as judges of fact.

“That chicane had not been policed for track limits that we were aware of and penalties were very few and far between,” he said.

“The judges of fact were the C1 guys which we thought was a little odd as they were running their own car [in the race]. It’s left a bitter taste.”

Four members of the C1 Racing Club are registered judges of fact, having gone on a Motor Sports Association-run course, and performed the role during the race as well as at all other C1 races this year, according to chairman Meyrick Cox.

“During the last hour or two, the level of track limit infringements increased materially at the chicane, both in terms of number of infringements, and how far off the circuit,” he said.

“We only reported those who were clearly off the circuit and who offended on multiple occasions.

“The vast majority of our members are hugely and vocally in favour of what we have done to attempt to improve driving standards in the series. We want clean, fair and safe racing.”