MAX CHILTON admitted he was unaware making a pitstop while the race was under a red flag was against Formula One rules, after picking up a penalty for doing so in the British Grand Prix.
The Reigate racer's Marussia needed repairs to its nose after being hit by a flying tyre following a dramatic crash by Kimi Raikkonen towards the end of the first lap.
Raikkonen went off the track after taking a corner too wide before clipping a bump when re-joining. It led to the Finn hitting the barrier, spinning, flying across a busy track and finally stopping at the opposite barrier.
Following the crash, which also forced Felipe Massa to retire, the race was put under red flag orders and stopped for more than an hour as the debris from Raikkonen's Ferrari was removed and a dented safety barrier replaced.
Shortly after the red flag order was given, Chilton decided to pit his car for repairs but in doing so earned himself a drive-through penalty and while the rest of the field restarted from the grid, albeit in the order they were in at the flag, the young Marussia driver was forced to restart from the pits.
After what was in effect a double penalty, Chilton, who had started 17th despite a five-place penalty following gearbox problems, finished last in 16th.
And the Marussia driver admits he felt lucky to be alive after the early crash but insisted he was unaware he was breaking any rules by pitting under the red flag.
"It looked like [Raikkonen] had regained control but he shot off again," Chilton said after the race.
"It was like an explosion; everything shot across to the left-hand side of the track.
"I saw this alloy fly across and I ducked and it luckily hit the front nose and then went to the left and broke my front wheel duct.
"At that point I felt there was a lot of damage, so I came into the pit lane, not knowing the rule with the red flag where you aren't allowed to pit.
"It's unfortunate but I think our pace [at Silverstone] was really good, and me and Jules [Bianchi] could have had a good battle if I wasn't a lap down.
"But I was saved by a matter of inches [in the crash], so thankfully I'm here."
His team-mate Jules Bianchi, who qualified 12th, finished 14th.
