Haas fail in Italian GP disqualification appeal

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Romain Grosjean: Italian GP ban for Haas stands

Romain Grosjean: Italian GP ban for Haas stands

The FIA have upheld their decision to disqualify Haas’ Romain Grosjean from the Italian Grand Prix.

The Frenchman was initially best of the rest in Monza with a P6 finish and bagged some valuable points for Haas in their battle with Renault for P4 in the Constructors’ Championship.

However, Renault immediately lodged a complaint with the FIA and asked them to investigate the legality of the Haas car.

Following the inspection, Haas were found to be in breach of article 3.7.1 d of the Technical Regulations, which focuses on the radius of the leading corners of the floor’s reference plane.

The article states “the surface formed by all parts lying on the reference plane must have a 50mm radius ( /-2mm) on each front corner when viewed from directly beneath the car, this being applied after the surface has been defined”.

According to the FIA, Haas were well aware that their floor did not meet the legal requirements.

Haas lodged an appeal and accused Renault of breaking a “gentleman’s agreement” and said they were only complaining because the Enstone team cannot beat them on track.

But, after hearing Haas’ appeal on November 1, the FIA has confirmed that the decision to disqualify Romain Grosjean stands.

In a press release, the FIA said:

The Court, after having heard the parties and examined their submissions, decided:

–    To uphold the Decision No. 42 of the Stewards of the 2018 Italian Grand Prix held in Monza counting towards the 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship;

–    To confirm the exclusion of Haas F1 Team’s car No. 8 from the 2018 Italian Grand Prix held in Monza counting towards the 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship;

–    To order the competent Sporting Authority to draw, as appropriate, the consequences of this ruling.

To date, only the operative part of the decision has been notified to the Parties. The full decision including grounds will be notified later on.

Williams’ Sergey Sirotkin has also kept hold of his one and only World Championship point after Grosjean’s disqualification promoted him to P10.

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