The Ferrari Formula 1 team has lodged a request for the FIA to review the decision to punish Sebastian Vettel at the Canadian Grand Prix, as predicted by Autosport.
Amid ongoing unhappiness over the five-second penalty that cost Vettel victory in Montreal, Ferrari wants the FIA stewards to look again at the verdict that Vettel rejoined the track in an unsafe manner and forced Lewis Hamilton off the circuit during their lead battle.
Although the sanction could not be appealed under the FIA’s rules, the governing body’s International Sporting Code does give competitors the option of a post-event review of decisions, providing that new evidence that was not available at the time has come to light.
Article 14.1.1 of the code states that if “a significant and relevant new element is discovered which was unavailable to the parties seeking the review at the time of the competition concerned,” then the FIA can reconvene stewards or replacements to look again at the case.
Ferrari had until this Sunday to lodge its review request and the team confirmed on Monday that it had written to the FIA to request the review.
No further details of what new evidence it has lodged were immediately available.
The FIA will most likely convene stewards over the French GP weekend to look at the case, with their first decision likely to be whether or not the new evidence is admissible.
If they are satisfied that the new information is significant, then the FIA will hear Ferrari’s argument for why the decision to punish Vettel was wrong.