Racing Point 'pained' and 'surprised' by Renault brake duct ruling

Racing Point

Racing Point 'pained' and 'surprised' by Renault brake duct ruling

Ian Parkes

Friday 7 August 2020 12:25

Racing Point team principal Otmar Szafnauer claims he has been left 'pained' and 'surprised' by the verdict of the stewards after Renault's protest was upheld over the brake ducts on this season's RP20.

The team has been handed a 15-point penalty - applicable to the constructors' championship only - and €400,000 fine after the design process of the brake ducts was deemed to be against the sporting regulations.

Racing Point has until 9.30am UK on Saturday, August 8, to lodge an appeal.

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"My take is that the good news from the judgment is that the car is completely legal from a technical perspective so we can continue to run the brake ducts," said Szafnauer, speaking to Sky Sports F1. "It's just a matter of the process which is in the sporting regulations.

"We read the sporting regulations, there was nothing specific in there that says we couldn't do what we did. Other teams have done exactly the same, more than what we did in a way, so it's a bit bewildering.

"However, we now have to decide whether our punishment is one we should appeal, but the good news is we can continue to run this car as it is, even here, and then thereafter, and it's legal."

Szafnauer has confirmed the brake ducts are the only part of his team's car that can be protested against going forward.

"There's only one part of the car that went from a non-listed part to a listed part, which is brake ducts," added Szafnauer.

"I was there in the Strategy Group meeting when we voted for this, I supported this, going from a non-listed part to a listed part.

"Some teams didn't want this to happen, others did, and I think we were the swing vote, and I supported Cyril [Abiteboul, Renault team principal] wholeheartedly in this.

"We started this process well before the brake ducts were even contemplated from moving from non-listed to listed."

Szafnauer concluded: "So it pains me and surprises me the process has now been deemed not within the regulations when the regulations aren't clear."