Ferrari believes the new evidence it will present at the hearing to review Sebastian Vettel’s Canadian Grand Prix penalty will provide “overwhelming” proof he did not break any rules.
A hearing is currently underway at the Paul Ricard circuit on the five-second penalty which cost Vettel victory in the race.Ferrari’s sporting director Laurent Mekies, who is representing the team at the meeting, said the team had discovered new evidence following the race which it wished to present.
“In the aftermath of the Grand Prix of Canada we had access to an [amount] of new evidence,” he said. “We looked at them and for these reasons we have requested the FIA [perform] a review because we believe that this evidence [is] quite overwhelming when it comes to establishing Sebastian did not breach any regulations.
“I think to say anything further would be inappropriate because the hearing will be this afternoon,” he added.
The four stewards who took the original decision have re-assembled for the hearing. Emanuele Pirro, Gerd Ennser and Mathieu Remmerie are attending in person and local steward Mike Kaerne will participate via a video link.
Several of the stewards have received abusive messages on social media since the ruling two weeks ago. Mekies defended them, stressing Ferrari “very much respect the work of the stewards.”
“We know it’s a complex world and we are supportive of [them],” he added.
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Dan O' Connor
21st June 2019, 13:43
Very interested to hear what this evidence might be!
Carlos Medrano (@carlosmedrano)
21st June 2019, 13:44
Doubt
Chaitanya
21st June 2019, 13:47
🤣😂
Witan
21st June 2019, 13:51
If the evidence is so clear why did they drop the appeal?
Nikki (@nikkit)
21st June 2019, 13:58
@Witan
The briefcase stuff full of cash wasn’t ready? (That’s a joke before a Ferrari/Vettel fan with no sense of humor takes issue)
Seriously though, you’re right, if the evidence is so overwhelming why drop the appeal and go for the more limited review?
Then again, considering many of Ferrari’s claims over the last few years (Last race was just a blip, engine failure wasn’t the engine, they weren’t getting a boost from oil burning and Verstappen was 100% to blame for singapore 2017) I’m going to take their claims of ‘over whemling evidence’ with a HUGE grain of salt.
Robbie (@robbie)
21st June 2019, 14:01
@nikkit Not sure that this is a ‘more limited’ review. Perhaps Ferrari just needed time to organize their case.
David
21st June 2019, 14:27
“if the evidence is so overwhelming why drop the appeal and go for the more limited review?”
seriously, is it still a question? they dropped the appeal, because in-race penalties cannot be appealed. in case of an appeal the case would’ve ended in 5 seconds because of the court’s lack of jurisdiction. ferrari’s only chance is this “more limited” review. clear?
PeterG
21st June 2019, 15:17
They said on Sky that they dropped the appeal because they are not actually able to appeal time penalty’s.
By going through the review process they could then be granted the right to appeal as if the stewards decide to accept the new evidence they will have the option to throw it back to an FIA panel who will ask both Ferrari & Mercedes to present evidence.
Robbie (@robbie)
21st June 2019, 13:58
Should be very interesting if we do end up hearing what the evidence is. But it is up to the stewards to decide if they have overwhelmingly evident, not Ferrari. If Ferrari is denied I think we won’t hear what the evidence was.
jmlabareda
21st June 2019, 14:04
There is a reason for these penalties to be final, regardless of whether it was a mistake or not.
It’s because it has already interfered with the race and it’s impossible to know what would have happened if there had been no penalty.
Most obviously, if there would be no penalty Lewis would have tried harder to pass Vettel for the lead.
Adam (@rocketpanda)
21st June 2019, 14:24
I don’t think Vettel deserved a penalty, but I don’t want them to hand him victory because of their ‘overwhelming evidence’. The win being taken away and decided in an office was disheartening and irritating and here they are arguing over doing exactly the same thing again. Two wrongs aren’t going to make a right.
The move was questionable, on the limit, edge of racing – call it what you want, but if Ferrari successfully change this ruling then surely it’s going to open a can of worms with people challenging rulings all over the place. Best thing would be to move on and seek a review of the rules themselves.
toiago (@toiago)
21st June 2019, 14:49
Precisely what I had thought myself. Well said @rocketpanda.
hobo (@hobo)
21st June 2019, 14:50
@rocketpanda – I tend to agree. However, if the evidence is sound and they do overturn it, the resulting uproar might also lead to a review of the rules.
To be clear, I have no dog in this fight.
F1oSaurus (@)
21st June 2019, 21:02
Maybe they have an iPhone which somehow auto corrected “embarrassing” into “overwhelming”?
greg-c (@greg-c)
22nd June 2019, 6:33
Ferrari will present “Underwhelming” new evidence at Vettel hearing