After BWT Racing Point F1 Team were docked fifteen points and fined €400,000 for allegedly ‘copying Mercedes’ last week, both Renault DP World F1 Team and Scuderia Ferrari have confirmed they will be formally appealing against the punishment.
Whilst the aforementioned teams have decided to launch an appeal, McLaren F1 Team and Williams Racing have opted not to press forward- the latter of the two releasing this statement as a response:
“After careful consideration, Williams have elected not to proceed with the formal appeal. We believe the FIA’s decision to seek the prohibition of extensive car copying for 2021 onwards addresses our most fundamental concern and reasserts the role and responsibility of a constructor within the sport, which is fundamental to Formula 1’s DNA and Williams core beliefs and principles.”
Welcoming the stewards verdict, McLaren said they were happy to know that ‘transgressions of the rules will be investigated and punished’.
Although Racing Point initially insisted that their design plans were overseen and adjudicated by scrutineers, the FIA revoked their approval and came to a profound conclusion.
They cited that the brake ducts operated by Racing Point breached the sporting regulations due to the striking likenesses they shared to last years’ Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team‘s W10.
The team subsequently lost 15 World Championship points – 7.5 points from each car – and took a fine of €400,000 for fielding Lance Stroll and Sergio Pérez’s cars during the Styrian Grand Prix. They have also been reprimanded for using the car in both Hungary and the two races at Silverstone.
Ferrari, however, feels that such punishments do not fit the crime Racing Point have committed. The Maranello outfit seek clarity and explanations as to the exact consequences of the rule breach and aim to achieve a clear-cut verdict on the legitimacy of their car, whilst Renault wish to help ‘develop and implement a clear and enforceable regulatory framework that will ensure all teams participating in the 2021 season will develop their original aerodynamic concepts by themselves’.
Even though McLaren are not part of the appeal process, they said they are going to watch the case ‘with interest’.
Racing Point themselves had openly publicised their intent to appeal the finding last Saturday after team owner Lawrence Stroll released a passionate statement, but the team have now officially announced that they will put forward a case to the FIA’s International Court of Appeal.
As of yet, no date has been confirmed for the appeal hearing.
