Five teams ready to appeal Racing Point ‘pink Mercedes’ decision

Twenty-four hours after the verdict of a stewards’ inquiry was announced, five Formula One teams filed notice on Saturday of their intent to appeal the outcome of Racing Point’s copying scandal – including both original protagonists.

The FIA stewards published their verdict early on Friday, more than three weeks after Renault’s initial protest in a sequence of three complaints at the legality and originality of Force India’s 2020 car, dubbed the ‘pink Mercedes’ because of its similarity to the 2019 title-winning vehicle.  

The decision focussed finally on the legality of Racing Point’s brake ducts, which were adjudged to be illegal and contrary to the sporting regulations of Formula One. Racing Point were docked 15 points and fined 400,000 euros ($471,000) but permitted to continue using the car.  

Teams were given 24 hours to give notice of intention to appeal and, on Saturday, Renault, Ferrari, McLaren and Williams joined Racing Point in doing so, the key issue for the first four being a belief the sanctions were too lenient and the probe into copying needed to go further.

Racing Point believe they have done nothing wrong and should have avoided a sanction.

A spokesperson for the ruling International Motoring Federation (FIA) said: “We have received notices of intention to appeal the Renault Protest Decision from the following Competitors: Ferrari, McLaren, Racing Point, Renault and Williams.”

All five have until Tuesday morning to confirm their intention to take the case to the sport’s International Court of Appeal, where it would be heard by a panel of independent judges.