FORMULA ONE’s governing body the FIA have delivered another bombshell that will rock the sport – after admitting they fudged an investigation into Ferrari’s engine.
Incredibly, the FIA said in a statement that AFTER its investigation “it was not fully satisfied” that Ferrari had fully complied within the rules.
The FIA have admitted they fudged their Ferrari engine investigation
It added that they decided against pursuing the case through fear of a long, complicated and no-doubt expensive legal process instigated by the team.
Instead, it said it used its power to “enter into an effective and dissuasive settlement agreement with Ferrari to terminate the proceedings”.
The statement also hit-back at teams questioning their integrity and added: “The FIA will take all necessary action to protect the sport and its role and reputation as regulator of the FIA Formula One World Championship.”
On Wednesday, seven teams – Red Bull, McLaren, Renault, AlphaTauri, Racing Point and Williams – led by Mercedes, delivered a statement to the FIA calling for “transparency” and “full disclosure” of the FIA’s investigation.
The teams felt that last season, Ferrari unlocked a trick way of getting an advantage by burning more fuel after finding a way to breach the FIA’s monitoring system.
SUSPICIONS CONFIRMED
Those teams’ suspicions were aroused after a new technical document was passed at the US GP that coincided with a run of six consecutive poles coming to an end for the Italian team.
And they grew even more concerned by the FIA’s allowance to keep the matter private.
The FIA’s response – that they were not convinced that Ferrari’s engine was entirely legal – will now cause teams to question the power and effectiveness of the sport’s governing body.
SunSport understands that lawyers acting for the seven non-Ferrari-powered cars on the grid are already making contact with FIA chiefs in Paris.
The FIA, led by former Ferrari boss Jean Todt, is set to face plenty of scrutiny in the run-up to this season’s opening race in Melbourne on March 15.
The FIA Statement in Full
FOLLOWING yesterday’s announcement by seven F1 teams, the FIA would like to make the following clarifications…
The FIA has conducted detailed technical analysis on the Scuderia Ferrari Power Unit as it is entitled to do for any competitor in the FIA Formula One World Championship.
The extensive and thorough investigations undertaken during the 2019 season raised suspicions that the Scuderia Ferrari PU could be considered as not operating within the limits of the FIA regulations at all times.
The Scuderia Ferrari firmly opposed the suspicions and reiterated that its PU always operated in compliance with the regulations.
The FIA was not fully satisfied but decided that further action would not necessarily result in a conclusive case due to the complexity of the matter and the material impossibility to provide the unequivocal evidence of a breach.
To avoid the negative consequences that a long litigation would entail especially in light of the uncertainty of the outcome of such litigations and in the best interest of the Championship and of its stakeholders, the FIA, in compliance with Article 4 (ii) of its Judicial and Disciplinary Rules (JDR), decided to enter into an effective and dissuasive settlement agreement with Ferrari to terminate the proceedings.
This type of agreement is a legal tool recognised as an essential component of any disciplinary system and is used by many public authorities and other sport federations in the handling of disputes.
The confidentiality of the terms of the settlement agreement is provided for by Article 4 (vi) of the JDR.
The FIA will take all necessary action to protect the sport and its role and reputation as regulator of the FIA Formula One World Championship.
The complicated battle between the teams and the FIA could even be escalated to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Either way, this poses a total headache for F1’s owners, Liberty Media, who are already fighting to keep the three opening races on the calendar, despite the coronavirus threat.
The Chinese GP has already been postponed while question marks remain over Bahrain and Vietnam and Australia, although the latter to a lesser extent.
Lewis Hamilton test drives the new Mercedes F1 car in Barcelona
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
