Belgian Grand Prix – Renault have decided to call a halt to their protesting of the Racing Point RP20’s brake ducts, and have dropped their appeal.
Renault have decided to call off the dogs in their pursuit of a larger punishment for Racing Point. The pink team were stripped of fifteen points and fined 400,000 euro for the Styrian Grand Prix, and reprimanded for every other race they’ve entered since. This was after an FIA investigation into their brake ducts adjudged them to have been designed by Mercedes in 2019, with Racing Point using the parts throughout 2019 and into 2020. This was legal in 2019, but not in 2020, leading to a complicated mess where the parts in question are legal from a technical perspective, but not from a sporting perspective.
Since the FIA ruling, Renault have protested the brake ducts at every race, leading to a tie in with the race stewards enquiries – leading to reprimands at every event. Renault and Ferrari formally lodged appeals against the leniency of the FIA ruling, while Racing Point themselves lodged one and argued they haven’t done anything wrong.
Renault have since confirmed they have decided to withdraw their protest, meaning they will not be taking the matter to the International Court of Appeal, once a date for the court hearing is announced by the FIA. Ferrari are yet to indicate whether they are also going to drop the matter, while Racing Point are likely to proceed with their appeal in a bid to have their points restored.
Renault say they are satisfied the gaps in the regulations that allowed this situation to occur have been plugged for next season.
A short statement from Renault said: “Beyond the decisions, the matters at issue were vital to the integrity of Formula One, both during the current season and in the future. However, intensive and constructive work between the FIA, Renault and all Formula One stakeholders has led to concrete progress in safeguarding the originality in the sport by way of amendments to the Sporting and Technical Regulations planned for the 2021 racing season, confirming the requirements to qualify as a Constructor.”
“Reaching this strategic objective, in the context of the new Concorde Agreement, was our priority. The controversy of the start of this season should be put behind us, as we need to focus on the remainder of an intense and unique Championship.”
