Championship leader Mercedes has urged FIA judges to add to reigning world champion Red Bull’s penalty amid the fuel flow affair.
In Paris on Monday, the judges heard Red Bull’s appeal against Daniel Ricciardo’s Melbourne disqualification, but Mercedes argued that the original penalty was actually not enough. The German marque’s lawyer said Mercedes is worried that because Red Bull broke the rules in “such a flagrant and deliberate” manner, that there is “a real risk that they will do it again”. “The most effective way of ensuring that Red Bull do not flout further written and oral instructions from the FIA is for this court to recognise the severity of their infringement and to impose a further sanction upon them,” Mercedes’ lawyer added.
He said Red Bull should be made “acutely aware” of the need to follow the rules by having the further penalty suspended “for at least the remainder of this season”. Mercedes’ lawyer said it and presumably the “other teams” present in Paris – Lotus, Williams, McLaren and Force India – chose to appear in order to ensure “a level playing field going forward for the remainder of the season”. Reports said the court’s decision will be published early on Tuesday.
Not in Paris, Niki Lauda said the recent criticism of F1’s new 2014 rules, including the limit on fuel flow, has been “ridiculous”. “Everyone criticises formula one only because Mercedes wins. It is a ridiculous situation and deeply unfair,” the team chairman and triple world champion is quoted by SID news agency. “In the second half of last season we were all bored of Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel, so that another team is at the front is the best thing that could have happened,” Lauda insisted.
