brakes
brakes

Renault puts the brakes on appeal

RENAULT has decided to withdraw its appeal against the penalty handed out to Racing Point for what were deemed to be illegal brakes on their RP20 Formula 1 car, with the Anglo-French team citing “concrete progress in safeguarding the originality in the sport” as their reason for standing down.

After the 70th Anniversary GP at Silverstone, Renault announced its intention to appeal the stewards’ decision regarding the rearnbrake ducts and the punishment meted out.

Racing Point was handed a 400,000 Euro fine and had 15 points deducted for using brake ducts that were deemed to be of Mercedes’ and not their own design.

But the team could still keep the offending parts on the car.

Ferrari and Racing Point also announced an intention to appeal, while Williams and McLaren ultimately rowed back from their own similar announcements.

But on the Tuesday, ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Renault said that they it would withdraw that appeal, saying “the controversy of the start of this season should be put behind us.”

“Beyond the decisions, the matters at issue were vital to the integrity of Formula 1, both during the current season and in the future,” the Renault statement said.

“However, intensive and constructive work between the FIA, [Renault] and all Formula 1 stakeholders has led to concrete progress in safeguarding the originality in the sport by way of amendments to the Sporting and Technical Regulations planned for the 2021 racing season, confirming the requirements to qualify as a Constructor.

“Reaching this strategic objective, in the context of the new Concorde Agreement, was our priority. 

“The controversy of the start of this season should be put behind us, as we need to focus on the remainder of an intense and unique championship.”

It’s not yet clear whether Ferrari or Racing Point plan to continue with their own appeals, with Racing Point’s CEO and team principal Otmar Szafnauer having been unhappy about the severity of the punishment, and telling the media that ‘we need to clear our name.’ 

 

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