Ferrari and Renault have officially confirmed their appeal of the decision rendered by the Racing Point RP20 brake duct panel. The case will therefore go well before the FIA International Court of Appeal, without McLaren who has decided not to prosecute.
Complaints filed by Renault about the brake scoops of the Racing Point RP20 resulted in a withdrawal of 15 points in the constructors’ championship and a fine of 400,000 euros. The team was found guilty by the panel of commissioners in charge of rendering a judgment of having designed rear brake scoops too close to those of the 2019 Mercedes.
After notifying the FIA of their intention to appeal the decision within the 24-hour deadline, four rival teams had 96 hours, or until 10:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, to confirm their appeal. Renault and Ferrari will appeal well and therefore bring the case before the International Court of Appeal of the federation.
“We have confirmed our intention to appeal the Stewards’ decision regarding the Racing Point brake scoops”, Renault said in a short press release. “In the meantime, we will continue to work intensively with the FIA and all stakeholders to develop and implement a clear and enforceable regulatory framework that will ensure that all teams participating in the 2021 season will develop their original aero concept on their own. “
On the other hand, McLaren has given up pursuing this path. In a press release that Motorsport.com, it is written : “McLaren Racing has decided not to appeal the decisions of the FIA Stewards regarding Renault’s claims against Racing Point. The team welcomes the Stewards’ rulings and conclusions in this matter and, above all, the fact that the FIA has shown that rule violations will be investigated and penalized. “
“In addition, McLaren Racing is pleased that the FIA is further clarifying sporting and technical regulations in order to protect Formula 1 as a discipline where teams are clearly defined as constructors, and removing the possibility that the Formula 1 World Championship includes cars which are, in fact, copies of others. “
“In view of the above and an overview of all factors, McLaren Racing will not pursue its appeal in this matter. Further, McLaren Racing respects the decisions of Ferrari and Renault to pursue their claims and will follow through the proceedings with interest. There will be no further comments at this time. “
As for Williams, the decision has not yet been made and the team told Motorsport.com that a communication would be made this Wednesday morning. It remains to be seen the position of Racing Point itself, which has indicated its intention to appeal, but it seems very likely that it will also confirm it, Lawrence Stroll speaking on Sunday saying: “I intend to take whatever steps are necessary to prove our innocence.”
The case has been running since February and the revelation of the RP20 during winter testing in Barcelona, where the resemblance of this single-seater to the W10 made people talk while being a bias assumed by Racing Point. If the whole car was often described as a copy, the complaints made by Renault only concerned the brake scoops, front and rear. Only those at the rear have, according to the Stewards, been designed according to a process contrary to the Sporting Regulations.
The sanction imposed was considered weak by part of the paddock, especially since the team is in fact authorized to keep the offending parts (in accordance with the Technical Regulations) with the sole sanction. a reprimand at every Grand Prix.
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