Oop’s it would seem (Motorsport.com) that Torro Rosso has tried cutting some dangerous corners ahead of Thursdays scrutineering at Silverstone by presenting Carlos Sainz’s car in an ‘unsafe condition’.
The damage was found to a wheel tether on Sainz’s car. The curious thing is that the FIA seems to have given the team a chance to rectify the problem but they simply refused.
A note from the FIA technical department said: “During initial scrutineering car number 55 was found to have a damaged wheel tether.”
“The team refused to follow the instructions of the scrutineers and therefore the technical delegate checked the damaged tether himself and found that the tether was not only damaged but also several cut fibres were knotted together.
“Therefore the team was aware of the damaged tether and presented the car in an unsafe condition for scrutineering.”
As a default, under the regulations, this renders Sainz’ car “ineligible” for entry into the British Grand Prix event. At this stage, none of this makes any sense at all.
More information will be forthcoming, no doubt.
SteveBarbyF1
@F1Barby
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This is a very strange thing to do. The FIA can re-scrutineer the car at the start of each day’s proceedings, so I’m guessing that Toro Rosso quietly complied later on. (If they haven’t, that really is a problem). If they were trying to make a point to Carlos, all they’ve really told anyone is that they are very petty and don’t mind having a settlement against them for breach of contract (which is what would happen if Carlos missed a practise session on account of the team’s conduct). If they were trying to make one to the FIA (what sort of point would it even be?!?), then the FIA can easily rebuff them, and indeed already has. Maybe it was a test to see if the scrutineers were doing their jobs correctly? If so, I’m provisionally happy to say that the scrutineers have passed.
I doubt this move will cost them anything directly, but it does highlight that they are not particular effective at communication. (This does not strike me as being a sign Toro Rosso would ever knowingly let a driver set out onto the track with a broken wheel tether).
All a big misunderstanding.
Raised eyebrows….
I think it’s trying to teach Sainz a lesson not to talk badly about the team.