FIA-Ferrari Affair: The FIA Responds to the Teams
After a statement released jointly by seven teams on the grid regarding the confidential agreement with Ferrari, the FIA wanted to clarify the situation regarding the Italian team's 2019 engine.
A few days ago, the FIA announced in a press release that it had reached a confidential agreement with Ferrari regarding the legality of its 2019 engine. This Wednesday, the seven non-Ferrari powered teams (Scuderiaz, Haas, and Alfa Romeo) decided to issue a common statement to express their dissatisfaction following the FIA’s announcement.
The teams saying they are shocked by this secret agreement wish for full transparency. The FIA quickly responded to them in a statement to explain the reasons for the agreement reached with Ferrari on the legality of the 2019 engine. The full statement:
Following the announcement made yesterday by seven F1 teams, the FIA wishes to provide the following clarifications:
The FIA conducted a detailed technical analysis of Scuderia Ferrari’s engine, as it is entitled to do for any competitor in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.
The thorough and detailed investigations conducted during the 2019 season gave rise to suspicions that the Scuderia Ferrari engine might not be operating within the FIA regulations at any given time. The FIA was not fully satisfied but decided that further measures would not necessarily lead to a conclusion of infringement, due to the complexity of the case and the material impossibility of providing irrefutable proof of a violation.
In order to avoid the negative consequences that a long litigation would entail, particularly given the uncertainty of the outcome of such litigation, and in the interest of the championship and its stakeholders, the FIA, in accordance with Article 4 (II) of its Judicial and Disciplinary Rules (JDR), has decided to conclude an effective and dissuasive settlement agreement with Ferrari to end the proceedings.
This type of agreement is a legal tool recognized as an essential component of any disciplinary system and is used by many public authorities and other sports federations in the resolution of disputes.
The confidentiality of the terms of the settlement agreement is provided for by Article 4 (VI) of the legal regulation.
The FIA will take all necessary measures to protect the sport as well as its role and reputation as the regulator of the FIA Formula One World Championship.
