The BWT Racing Point Formula One Team has confirmed that it has withdrawn its appeal against the FIA’s ruling over the legality of its rear brake ducts.
The FIA ruled that the rear brake ducts of the RP20 were designed illegally and were virtually copies of the ones used by the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team’s on its championship-winning W10. Racing Point were fined €400,000 and docked fifteen Constructors’ Championship points.
The team have always maintained their innocence and do so again in their statement, which comes after the FIA provided clarity over the rules on listed and non-listed parts, citing that there was never an intention to deliberately break those rules.
“We welcome the resolution the teams have agreed, and we’re pleased the FIA has provided much-needed clarification of the rules on listed and non-listed parts,” said the Racing Point statement on Sunday.
“The stewards and all parties involved in the appeals process recognise that there was a lack of clarity in the regulations and that we did not deliberately break them.
“Now that the ambiguity around the regulations has been settled, we have decided to withdraw our appeal in the wider interests of the sport.
“This issue has been a distraction for us and the other teams, but now we and everyone else can get back to focusing solely on what we’re all here to do: racing hard and providing excitement and entertainment for the millions of F1 fans around the world.”
Racing Point’s appeal withdrawal leaves Scuderia Ferrari as the only team disputing the initial decision, with the Italian team believing the penalty handed out was not severe enough, particularly as the Silverstone-based team are still allowed to use the brake ducts in question.
However, rumours circulating at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza indicate that Ferrari are likely to follow the Renault DP World F1 Team, McLaren F1 Team and Williams Racing in withdrawing the appeal and bringing the whole situation to an end.
