Mercedes fined by FIA for unusual parc ferme breach at Spanish GP
Mercedes' George Russell on track at the Spanish Grand Prix. Barcelona, June 2023.
Mercedes were called before the stewards at the Spanish Grand Prix, following a breach of parc fermé instructions.
Mercedes have been given a €10,000 fine by the stewards at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, having been summoned before them for a breach of parc fermé instructions.
A Mercedes team representative and the two physiotherapists for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were called to see the stewards after the Spanish Grand Prix, where the drivers finished in second and third place, respectively.
The grounds for calling the personnel to the stewards related to an alleged breach of Article 12.2.1.i of the International Sporting Code, which outlines: “Failure to follow the instructions of the relevant officials for the safe and orderly conduct of the Event.”
This was related to the drivers’ physiotherapists failing to obey parc fermé post-race procedures and, following the issuing of the fine, the stewards outlined what had happened.
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“The stewards received a report from the Media Delegate, which was subsequently confirmed by video evidence, that the physios/drivers’ assistants of Cars 44 and 63 entered parc ferme in violation of the Post Race Interview and Podium Ceremony Procedure that was published prior to the race ‘for the orderly conduct of the event.'” read the statement.
“Article 9.15.1 of the FIA International Sporting Code places the responsibility for the actions on the part of any person providing a service, on the Competitor to whom the service is provided.”
Mercedes’ breach was the second unusual summons of the weekend, with Haas’ team boss Guenther Steiner also being called up for inflammatory comments he made during a press session on Friday. Steiner was given an official reprimand for the comments, in which he had taken aim at the actions of the stewards at last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.
