14/08/2020
NEWS STORY
Renault boss, Cyril Abiteboul says that the International Court of Appeal should strip Racing Point of all points won at events where its cars were protested. Indeed, the Frenchman believes the Canadian team should be disqualified.
Last week's hearing saw the Silverstone-based outfit fined 400,000 Euros and have 15 points deducted, after it was deemed the Canadian team had breached the Sporting Regulations when designing its brake ducts. However, later that weekend, as the row rumbled on, the team clawed back 14 of those lost points in one afternoon.
Renault and Ferrari are appealing the ruling, claiming that while the fine and points deduction wasn't harsh enough, the decision to allow the team to continue using the illegal parts without further punishment - other than a reprimand - makes a mockery of the sport and is confusing for fans.
"We were expecting a consistent sanction with other sanctions that we've seen in the past," Renault boss, Cyril Abiteboul told reporters.
"The most recent one being the one we accepted last year after Suzuka when we were found in breach of a Sporting Regulation," he added, referring to the fact that Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg, having finished 6th and 10th on the road were subsequently disqualified after they were deemed to have benefitted from an illegal driver aid, "not a Technical Regulations, and were excluded from that event and therefore losing all our points.
"There was no discount for Renault," said the Frenchman, "so I don't know why there should be a discount for Racing Point. It should be all the points of the events that we've been protesting."
In terms of clarity for race fans, he said: "I think we are also going to be in a bit of a strange situation where after every single event Otmar (Szafnauer) will be called to the stewards, his brake ducts will be found similar to what they were and he will again receive a reprimand.
"We are facing, what, ten races where his cars will be reprimanded... it's a bit of a strange situation, so I think we would like to have also a bit more clarity about that.
"I'm not necessarily saying that they should be excluded from the season," he continued, "but I think that from a communication standpoint to the fans, to the public, explaining why a car is still somewhat in breach because it will receive a reprimand, it is still okay to be part of the championship and eligible for points. We think it is a bit awkward.
"We would like some closure about that if possible."