MOTOR SPORT:THE RENAULT Formula One team and Spain's Fernando Alonso were given the green light to compete in Valencia this weekend after getting a one-race suspension overturned yesterday.
The sports governing body, the FIA, said its court of appeal had decided to reduce the sanction imposed on the French team to a reprimand and €35,000 fine.
The ban, handed out by stewards at last month’s Hungarian Grand Prix, would have prevented double world champion Alonso from appearing before his home crowd in Sunday’s European Grand Prix.
Renault, who had argued the suspension would also have “severe consequences” for local organisers as well as hitting fans who had bought tickets in the expectation of Alonso racing, welcomed the decision.
“The team acknowledges sporting regulations were breached during the incident in the pit lane of the Hungarian Grand Prix, which compromised safety,” Renault said in a separate statement.
“The team therefore accepts the decision of the FIA to issue a reprimand and a $50,000 fine is fair and balanced.”
Stewards had punished Renault for allowing Alonso to rejoin the race after a pitstop despite allegedly knowing his car’s right front wheel was not properly attached. The wheel came off shortly afterwards.
The incident came a day after Ferrari’s Brazilian Felipe Massa had been seriously injured by bouncing debris in qualifying for the race in Budapest.
It also followed the death of Henry Surtees in a Formula Two race at Brands Hatch after the 18-year-old, son of 1964 world champion John, was hit on the head by a loose wheel bouncing across the track.
The team admitted a breach of regulations but denied deliberate misconduct.
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