Bad combination for Ferrari, Mercedes, and Force India
The drivers' suits did not meet the FIA 8856-200 standards.
Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa, Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg, Adrian Sutil, Paul di Resta, and Nico Hülkenberg failed the FIA technical inspection due to non-compliance of their suits.
Indeed, the FIA imposes very strict standards regarding driver equipment, notably the FIA 8856-2000 standard: « It is permitted to increase the size of the label and/or the height of the text. However, if the height of the text, such as the manufacturer’s name, is modified, all texts must be modified in the same proportions. The label must be embroidered directly onto the outermost layer of the outer garment and on the back of the collar, so that it is easily visible. It is recommended that the thread used for embroidering the label complies with point 8.4. »
However, it seems that the 7 drivers in question presented themselves for inspection with suits where the label was printed on the fabric and not embroidered, probably to save a few grams and thus demonstrate the meticulous attention to detail by the teams. Since then, the teams concerned have complied with the regulations and should no longer be troubled for the rest of the weekend.
Note that Tom Kristensen will be the 4th steward for this German Grand Prix.
For more information about the FIA 8856-2000 standard, click here.
