FIA dismiss Wolff "anti-embarrassment" penalty claim

FIA race director Michael Masi has dismissed Toto Wolff's claim the current engine penalty system is present to act as an "anti-embarrassment regulation".

Valtteri Bottas took on his sixth ICE of the season at the United States Grand Prix despite teams only allowed three per year.

Had the fourth unit been added alone and not as part of his complete PU change at Monza, Bottas would have been given a 10-place grid penalty rather than a back-of-the-grid penalty.

Despite a further infringement in Russia, the Finn was only given a five-place drop at the Circuit of the Americas, leading to questions over whether the system was skewed in the correct manner to dissuade teams from adding extra components.

Wolff suggested this was in place as an "anti-embarrassment regulation" in light of the frequent penalties given to Honda when the Japanese manufacturer rejoined the sport with McLaren.

Responding to Wolff's comments, Masi said: "Obviously, I wasn't around in the role when that was there.

"But I do remember the old power unit penalty system where, if I recall correctly watching on television, it was something like 60-place grid penalties and all of the rest of it. So that was all tidied up accordingly for that basis.

"We need to remember the regulations regarding power units have been there for a number of years now, they have been consistent and all of those have been developed with all of the teams, the FIA and F1.

"It is not just this is what it is. It is collectively developed and agreed upon before it is implemented."

On the prospect of fan disappointment the title could be decided through engine penalties given the lack of reliability on display from Mercedes, Masi explained: "The part of it is that it is a part of every team racing to the same regulation.

"They all know how many power units, how many gearboxes, how many various elements, exhausts etcetera, they are going to have so everyone is on the same level of understanding of what they need to do.

"Like any team, particularly in the championship fight, you are always going to try and get as much of a competitive advantage you need, be it power unit upgrades, aerodynamic updates, gearbox, whatever it might be."

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