Audi has followed through with its appeal of the Italian Grand Prix result, in relation to an FIA decision regarding Yuki Tsunoda.
Audi believes the regulations were incorrectly applied at Monza, and has now submitted its appeal with the FIA. A point is at stake, subject to the outcome for the German marque.
Audi appeals Italian GP result
A second formation lap was called at the Italian Grand Prix restart when Racing Bulls’ Yuki Tsunoda appeared out of shape in his grid box.
Tsunoda was noted over a potential start procedure infringement, but the stewards decided to take no further action. Tsunoda went on to finish the race in P10, thus scoring a point.
The stewards’ verdict noted: “The Race Director, in evidence, stated that it was his call, based on the behaviour of the car on the approach to the grid box, to commence an extra formation lap. He stated he was not comfortable starting the race with the car in that position.
“The Stewards agree with [Racing Bulls’ argument] and consider that the extra formation lap resulted from the Race Director’s assessment of the situation, rather than being directly caused by the driver of Car 22.
“A critical issue emerges here, in that in order to comply with the requirement to enter and start from the Pit Lane, a driver would need to know that he was the cause of the extra formation lap.
“The team representative quoted situations where extra formation laps have been commenced due to extraneous circumstances such as the position of a photographer etc. In this case, no message was sent to the team or the driver, advising them that they were the cause of the extra formation lap.
“The team, based on the fact that the car was positioned within its starting grid box in compliance with the regulations, had, in our determination, no reason to instruct its driver to enter and start from the Pit Lane.”
However, Audi, in challenging that verdict, cited Article B5.9.4 of the FIA Sporting Regulations, which states that drivers to cause a formation lap are then required to restart the race from the pit lane.
Audi is set to gain if the decision is reversed, with Gabriel Bortoleto currently classified P11.
“Following the Italian Grand Prix, the team raised a concern regarding the application of Article B5.9.4, which requires a driver who causes an extra formation lap to enter the pit lane and resume the race from there,” said the Audi F1 team in a statement.
“We can confirm that an appeal has been submitted within the 96-hour window mandated by the regulations. As the matter is now subject to the FIA appeal process, we will not comment further at this stage.”
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Bortoleto, when asked in Madrid about Audi’s appeal, suggested that the situation was black and white.
“I think it’s quite straightforward in the rules,” he said. “When a driver causes an extra formation lap, he must start from the pit lane and, in that case, Yuki didn’t.
“So, I think that’s the reason why Audi is appealing. We are appealing the results. You know, for us, it counts as a point if we get the position, so every point counts and, I mean, what’s right is right at the end of the day.”
Jokingly put to him that he’s had a few too many P11s this year, Bortoleto replied: “A bit too many, yeah. More than what I would like to.”
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Originally published by Planet F1 —
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