Scuderia Ferrari remain the only team still to be appealing the leniency of the punishment handed out to the BWT Racing Point Formula One Team for an illegal use of brake ducts designed by the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team.
However, Mattio Binotto, the Team Principal of Ferrari has hinted they may withdraw their appeal if the FIA clarify the regulations for 2021, with early drafts hinting towards the banning of blatant copying between teams.
Racing Point were handed a fifteen-point penalty and a €200,000 fine for using brake ducts copied from Mercedes’ championship-winning W11, and they have been handed reprimands in the subsequent races after being told they can continue to use the ducts for the rest of the season.
Ferrari were one of four teams, alongside the Renault DP World F1 Team, McLaren F1 Team and Williams Racing to notify the FIA of their intention to appeal the stewards’ decision, but whereas the other three teams have now withdrawn their appeal, the Italian team are still involved in their own appeal.
“We have confirmed our protest so we have appealed the decision of the stewards of the past races,” Binotto is quoted as saying by Motorsport.com.
“The reason is that we are fully convinced that what Racing Point did this season is not right. We believe that it is against the principle of our sport, and we believe that it cannot happen in the future.
“In that respect we are asking and seeking clarity from the FIA. If let me say regulations will be put in place, or a technical directive for the future in 2021 where we are pretty sure it will not be possible to copy, we are ready to withdraw our appeal.”
Binotto remains sure that the traditional methods of copying other teams, such as with photographs, will continue, but the whole design process must be done by the team taking the photos.
“Looking at competitors, trying to understand what they do, trying to study their car, has been part of F1 history,” said Binotto. “I do not see anything bad in that.
“I think to copy an entire design, that’s a different experience, because that’s IP. If I would have been Mercedes, I would have protested someone copying myself. So, I think taking pictures has always been done, I do not see anything wrong in the fact itself.”
Racing Point have also appealed, feeling their penalty was unjustified. It has yet to be seen if they continue their dispute if Ferrari joins the other three teams in withdrawing their appeal.
