Racing Point does indeed lose 15 points in the Constructors’ Championship
All parties have decided not to appeal: the decision made by the FIA to impose a 400,000 euro fine on Racing Point and a loss of 15 points in the Constructors' Championship is therefore final.
One might say: All that for this? It was supposed to be the case that would shake up the paddock for months, potentially disrupting the business models of F1 teams and the status of constructors. But in the end, as often happens, the elephant gave birth to a mouse and everyone leaves with a smile.
A brief recap of the facts: during the Styrian Grand Prix, Renault filed an official complaint against Racing Point on the grounds that Racing Point used brake ducts designed by Mercedes, which was allowed last year but is now prohibited. This is part of the broader context of copying many components of last year’s Mercedes. McLaren, Williams, and Ferrari also joined the fray once the FIA delivered its verdict because these teams believed the verdict was either too harsh or too lenient depending on the interpretation of the rules.
Initially, McLaren and Williams ended up lowering their flags following pressure from their current engine supplier (Williams) and future one (McLaren). It was then Ferrari and Renault’s turn to do the same as this aspect of the discussions became part of the negotiations around the Concorde Agreements.
Yesterday, Racing Point ultimately decided to withdraw their appeal: « We are pleased with the solution accepted by the teams and that the FIA has provided much-needed clarifications regarding the list of listed and non-listed parts. The stewards and all parties recognize that the regulations were not sufficiently clear and that we did not deliberately breach them. Now that the ambiguity has been lifted, we have decided to withdraw our appeal in the general interest of the sport. »
However, the sporting and financial impact is not neutral for the team. Indeed, it must pay a fine of 400,000 euros. More importantly, it loses 15 points in the Constructors’ standings, which means that instead of scoring 14 points for the Styrian Grand Prix, it now shows -1. The impact is far from negligible since the gap that currently separates Racing Point from McLaren is 16 points (98 against 82). At the end of the season, this sanction could prove to be crucial for the battle for third place in the Constructors’ Championship, which has a direct impact on Liberty Media’s payouts next season.
The team was still able to console itself last night with Lance Stroll’s new podium finish, the first since Lawrence Stroll took charge at Spa in 2018.
