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Racing Point fined, losing points after the protest was confirmed by Renault

Formula 1 team Racing Point will dock 15 championship points after a complaint from rival Renault was confirmed that elements were copied from the 2019 Mercedes World Championship car, the FIA ​​said on Friday.

Racing Point loses 7.5 points for each of its two cars competing in the 2020 season.

This means that ahead of the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix on Sunday at Silverstone, Renault will move up to fifth place in the Manufacturers’ Championship with 32 points and Racing Point will slip to sixth place with 27 points.

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Racing Point, owned by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll and powered by Mercedes engines, has been fined € 200,000 per car.

The fine is worth a total of $ 657,000.

Racing Point can appeal the decision.

The regular drivers of the team, the Mexican Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll, the son of the team owner, were not penalized.

The Renault case centered on the design of Racing Point’s brake lines, which are reportedly copies of the Mercedes used on its car that won the 2019 World Championship.

Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal of Racing Point, told Skysports.com: “The good news from the verdict is that the car is completely legal from a technical point of view, so we can keep the brake lines running. This is just a matter of process in the sports regulations.

“Other teams have done exactly the same thing, probably more so than us, so it’s a little confusing. Now, however, we must decide whether to appeal our punishment. “

Renault’s protest ruffled its feathers at Racing Point earlier this year, and the two teams have since traded verbal barbs in the media.

Racing Point described Renault’s protest after the Styrian Grand Prix as “misunderstood and poorly informed”.

Renault protested its rival’s RP20 car to the stewards in the hours after the race. This was the culmination of a long-running saga since February’s winter testing.

Renault said last month it had requested “legal clarification” on its rival’s car.

In a statement, Racing Point, who has always insisted that all F1 regulations were followed in the design of the RP20, said the protest is likely to be dismissed if heard.

“The BWT Racing Point F1 Team is extremely disappointed that the results of the Styrian Grand Prix are being called into question by what they believe to be a misunderstood and poorly informed protest,” the statement said.

“Any suggestion of misconduct will be firmly denied and the team will take all necessary steps to ensure that the rules are correctly applied to the facts.

“Before the start of the season, the team worked with the FIA ​​and answered all questions regarding the origin of the designs of the RP20 satisfactorily.

“The team is confident that once they have given their response, the protest will be dismissed.”

Renault clearly had the last laugh.

Meanwhile, Perez was banned from Sunday’s race after testing positive for coronavirus again, meaning he will miss a second race in a row.

He will be replaced by German driver Nico Hulkenberg, as he was at the British Grand Prix last week.

Racing Point said Perez, who contracted COVID-19 following his mother’s visit to Mexico after last month’s Hungarian Grand Prix, was “physically healthy and recovered”.

The 32-year-old Hulkenberg made an impressive return in training and qualifying for the Grand Prix of Great Britain last Sunday, but was unable to start the race due to an engine problem.

“I’m looking forward to getting started again with the team at Silverstone,” said Hulkenberg.

“Last weekend it was a real step into the unknown after having been away from the team for a few years – and driving a car that I had never driven before.

“I am ready to apply my experience to this weekend. Racing at the same track makes it a bit easier again and the team did a great job bringing me up to date.

“I think we can fight for points this weekend, which is definitely my goal. I would also like to wish Checo all the best for his recovery. “

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