Malaysian GP: Force India drivers say their penalties were unfair

The pair were given 10-second time penalties in quick succession late in the Sepang F1 race, after Perez had tangled with Lotus driver Romain Grosjean and Hulkenberg clashed with Red Bull's Daniil Kvyat.

Grosjean expressed fury at Perez's driving over the Lotus radio after they came together while he was completing an outside-line pass on the Mexican.

But Perez said there was little he could do to avoid hitting the Lotus.

"To be honest I couldn't avoid it at all, it was just a racing incident," he said.

"I tried my best to avoid him but it's a very fast corner and you are just so on the limit.

"I lightly touched him which was enough to spin him and they gave me a 10s penalty.
"I was quite surprised to be honest with the penalty as I didn't have anywhere to go.

"I actually didn't say anything to my team because I thought it was clear, I just kept going and then later they told me I had a penalty."

Perez reckoned Grosjean put himself in a "risky" position with his pass.

"I think it was a risky move - it was on the limit and those things can happen especially if you consider the amount of degradation you have at that point," he said.

Hulkenberg's tangle with Kvyat came as they went wheel-to-wheel through the opening complex of corners during a three-way dice also involving Daniel Ricciardo.

"I was originally battling with Ricciardo and [Kvyat] comes inside and I went wide at Turn 1," said Hulkenberg.

"Daniil didn't see me coming back across at Turn 2. I tried to pull out but it was too late and we made contact.

"He is turning in completely while there is a car next to him so maybe he should leave some room too, but maybe he didn't expect anyone to come through there."

Asked for his view on the penalty, Hulkenberg replied: "I don't agree with it."

Kvyat was sanguine about the clash.

"I think it was a racing incident," he said.

"If he didn't do this we'd both have gained. But he decided to go for it.

"I have nothing against him."

The Russian continued to finish ninth, while Perez and Hulkenberg ended up 13th and 14th.