No penalties for Red Bull!
After several hours of uncertainty surrounding the Red Bull case, the stewards of the German Grand Prix have decided not to impose a grid penalty on the drivers of the Austrian company.
Sebastian Vettel, 2nd on the grid, and Mark Webber, 8th (after his 5-place penalty for a gearbox change) can breathe a sigh of relief: their team will ultimately not be penalized, following the serious doubts raised by Jo Bauer, FIA technical delegate, this morning.
After receiving the team director, Christian Horner, the chief engineer, Adrian Newey, and representatives from Renault Sport F1, the stewards were able to issue a decision. A decision that was not made based on technical considerations, but due to textual considerations. This is what the FIA statement reveals: « The stewards met with the team representatives and an official from the Renault engine manufacturer. Even though the stewards did not accept all the team’s arguments, they concluded that, as the regulations are written, the engine mapping did not contravene the text of Article 5.5.3 of the Formula 1 technical regulations and therefore decided not to pursue the matter further. »
A statement that might suggest a relatively quick clarification of the rule, with the next race taking place next week at the Hungaroring, the last Grand Prix before the summer break, during which the factories must close their doors. Given that the engine characteristics observed during this German Grand Prix are new, Red Bull shouldn’t have too much trouble reverting to the previous configuration. If, however, the FIA decides to truly clarify the regulations and if another trick isn’t found by then…
Note that the sun is shining brightly over Hockenheim and the spectacle promises to be one of the most beautiful with a grid shaken up by yesterday’s qualifications and penalties.
